Black Coffee
by therapist
Summary: Rogue changed into something that threatens the X-Men, leading Charles to do something horrible. The X-Men and world have to deal with its aftermath.
1. Bitterness

DISCLAIMERS: Does it look like I own any of this?

Author Notes: This takes place after Impact. This is just a pinch on the dark side but I had to write it. Those damn thoughts wouldn't let me get a minute of sleep unless I wrote this. Now on with the show…

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**Black Coffee**

_**Bitterness**_

**By Therapist**

I like coffee; black with three sugars please. So bitter, like me. I chuckled into my cup at that thought. Bitter…didn't I have every right to be bit sour?

I made a 'Find Out How Messed Up you Are' checklist. Hmm, terrorist mother now deceased because of me. Check. Mutation beyond control depriving me of touch. Check. World hates you because you're different. Check. Super mutant set loose now out about ready to conquer the world. Check. Oh, double check because I helped him.

So I'm a just a tab bit bitter, more vinegary if you ask me.

But it's okay because that how a Goth's suppose to be, forever drowning in misery while I listen to angry music complaining about the unfair world. Yes, typical Goth dressing in dark clothes and dark make-up cause you know why, I worship the devil. Why else would I wear such colors associated with the Anti-Christ? I mean clearly that must be the reason, I mean it can't be that I simply like the color black, noooo. To like something other than the world's misery that would mean I'm human, but it can't be.

I'm the Ice Queen; face permanently stuck with a scowl and a sharp tongue hidden behind my teeth. I have no emotions as rip apart people with my words. It's their own fault, they asked for it by trying to be my friends.

First Kurt, he was the catalyst. Seriously, the brother sister bonding shit was getting too much for me. Only one person will be hurt in the end and I know that it wouldn't be me. And voila, the solution that can separate families despite how 'tight' they may be came to me. Killing off your mother may not be the numero uno choice but for me there was no hesitation on my part. Okay, maybe a little, but all I had to do was think about what that bitch did to me to steel my resolve. Pushing off that cliff, never had I felt anything so wonderful, definitely beats an orgasm. Watching her body crumble into small pieces, I was sure that all the king's horses and all the king's men couldn't put her back together. Kurt hasn't talked to me since then. And that's fine with me, didn't want a blue fuzzy freak as a brother.

Kitty, the valley girl that is also a genius. Get the fuck out of here man. You seriously expected me to become friends with _that_? It was quite easy to alienate her. Kitty decided to surprise me with a breakfast while I was sick one day. Oh, Kitty you gave such a perfect opportunity, I thank you. First, I told her that her food tasted like shit, some of the worst food in the world. Then I told her that for a fucking genius she sure is retarded at times. After that, I told her that her clothes made her look like a fat cow. I think I also added something about her being a whore, even though she hasn't slept around. But I don't bother with the small details. Oh, "The only reason that Lance wanted to go out with you was that I told him you were easy and a good lay," or something along those lines, I also told her. To top of the dessert, I smashed the food into her pretty little face and said that I never could be a friend to a fat, retarded whore. I moved out that evening, and hadn't seen hide or hair from her.

Scott? We haven't been that close anyways. I mean he recruited me, good job, give yourself a pat on the back. Now go off, play with Ms. Grey, and leave the poor Goth all alone in her agony. Oh, Scott it hurts that you think that I give a rat's ass about you anymore. Guys, are you all this blind? I mean come on, coming to the resident lonely hearts for dating advice? Thanks Scott for rubbing it in my face, why don't you just throw some salt on my wounds while you're at it. My advice, you really want to know what I told him. "Fuck her, then dump her for Taryn then fuck her, hell fuck them all Scott. Isn't that what you want? To get laid? Or is it someone else you want?" His expression was priceless. I taped my head. "I know your thoughts especially all of you deep, dark secrets. I guess I wasn't the only one checking out Lance." I cackled knowing full well that he didn't swing that was. But as I said before I never bothered with petty details. Sure enough, word spread that Summers was one flaming homo. I started it, of course, and waved that fact in his face. We haven't been so chummy since then.

Then there's Miss Jean-you-should-look-at-me-with-awe-cause-you've-been-graced-by-a-goddess's-presence-Grey. She should really change her middle name to that. Did she get lessons in Scott about being totally clueless? Apparently, please give me the address to that teacher so I may shoot him in the kneecaps and castrate him. So it turns out that she 'made love' to Duncan, who does she run to talk to? Kitty, Storm, the horde of female admires, oh no, me, the one girl who will _never_ fuck a man. What inspired her to come to me? Something about, she couldn't talk to the others, it was just too weird. As she blathered on, unaware of my blank stare and rapid blinking, her logic of coming to me played in my head. Surely she wasn't this stupid, though there were times I questioned that, then this must mean it would be a cruel joke. My eyes narrowed. Princess, you have no idea whom you're messing with! She poured her heart out; man, I have some pretty good blackmail items here. But I listened with false interest, while analyzing how to best strike back. Then the clincher, she said she loved Duncan; I started to laugh at that point. She loved that gorilla, with shit for brains, because he made her feel good. Does love make everyone this blind and stupid? I knew of his infidelities, everyone in the entire school knew, of course except for the lovesick idiot. So I sent her images, graphic ones of him with other girls. I planted the black seed of doubt in her mind, and I reveled in her howl of pain. As I left her sobbing on the bed, I told her that she was a whore and whores never deserve love.

So that must mean I'm a whore, because I know I certainly don't deserve love. But not like I'm asking for it. You know what cupid, take those arrows of yours and do the world a favor, shoot yourself in the nuts. Life is hard without you causing your little soap opera drama. Geez, when was I sucked into 'Young and the Restless'? But it makes everyone glum which means you're doing your job God and keeping me happy. I guess I can delay cupid's death until later.

I relish in other people's pain, the feeling of euphoria fill my chest as others wallow in agony. If I ruled the world, everyone will be in eternal suffering.

Wow, how long had it taken me to lose all of my friends, hmm? I tap my chin in mock thought. Less than a week, come on Guinness Book of World Records I expect you at my doorsteps soon.

I finish off my coffee, tossing the empty cup into the sink. I have a danger room session in five, thoughts of hurting people pumped through me like a drug. I cracked my knuckles as the images of everyone writhing in agony beneath me filled my mind. Hmm, Logan will be watching me closely though. Ever since I nearly killed Jamie, Logan's been on my ass like an unwanted pimple. Maybe I should just go for a walk instead. Yeah, I like that idea.

Professor Xavier rubbed his temples as slamming echoed through the mansion. His headache teetered toward migraine intensity as he turned over the recent events in his mind.

Rogue somehow became estranged from all of them. No one needed to say it; he felt it. First Kurt, the next day Kitty, after that Scott, then nearly killing Jamie in the DR session, and then the conversation with Jean. Xavier didn't know where he went wrong; the pull started a long ago. They were slowly catching up but suddenly a gap as wide as the Grand Canyon appeared between them now.

Now they were going to lose forever. Lose her to what? Her own anger and loneliness.

XXXXXXXXXX

Like I said above, if you want me to continue this let me know. Feedback greatly appreciated.

therapist


	2. Scuffle

Disclaimers: (Yoda shuffles in) Marvel I own, do not. Impact place, takes after.

AN: Almost completely new. Decided to gut this chapter and pretty much start from scratch. Think the end result is much better.

WARNING! This chapter contains some dark themes such as attempted rape and a sodomy scene. If those things make you squick, please turn back. Oh, and don't flame me because of it. I gave fair warning.

XXXXXXXXXX

**Black Coffee**

_**Scuffle**_

**By therapist**

_She spat at him. Gazing up at her, he recoiled as she circled him, her prey. The Danger Room session became an all-out slugfest, one-sided with Rogue on the giving end. The one-on-one spar left him alone with her, to do as she pleased. The look on her face informed him that it wasn't going to be nice. Finally, she got on one knee in front him, her eyes hard, face blank._

_Those eyes, one's that used to look at him with friendship and understanding, now filled with malice and coldness. _

_"What the fuck happened to you?" he blurted. _

_A slow smirk emerged. "I woke up Summers. Xavier has you all fooled. I, you, everyone, they don't mean fucking nothing to him. Were just pieces, ready to be used and tossed aside when no longer needed."_

"_Fuck yo-"_

_A hard punch to his jaw silenced his protest and he forgot what they were talking about. Fuck, he thought he heard a crack and when did she get so strong? He coughed, his face throbbing and ears ringing._

_Rising, she peered down at him. "No Summers, I'm going to fuck you." _

_He let loose a beam, hitting her in the chest. She didn't make a noise as she flew across the room and into the wall. His victory was short lived as she shook off his attack as if it was a bee sting. The damage to her chest was severe but soon her creamy skin bared not a single mar. _

_Quickly lifting himself up, despite his aching body's protest,_ _with a yell, he launched himself at her. His punches didn't stop her; no, they only spurned her to hit him harder. Amidst the scuffle, his glasses were knocked askew. With clenched eyes, her mocking laughter filtered into her ears. Raising his hands in defeat elicited a new bout of laughter. Though she was the clear winner, he knew nothing would diminish her anger. A hard punch to his gut knocked all wind out of him and he didn't even try to fend off her rapid punches raining upon him. As the world faded to black, he could hear her still cackling_.

His eyes blinked open and it took him a moment to gain his bearings. As the memory faded from his mind, his shoulder throbbed. Rogue had been true to her promise, dislocating his shoulder and breaking three fingers. Even though Hank had cleared him, he still got 'phantom' aches in his shoulder every now and then.

A soft knock broke him out of him musings. He called enter and Jean came in. She too looked ragged and he knew she was stressed about the situation as well. Normally a visit to his room would elicit great joy and an occasional naughty thought, yet, it brought none of that now. Immediately she went to him, his arms automatically encasing her.

"What are we going to do?" she whispered. Unable to think of an answer, he hugged her harder. "She's becoming worse everyday."

_I know_, he thought darkly as his shoulder throbbed. "I don't know but we need to do something. Tell everyone that there'll be a meeting tonight, after she leaves."

Jean pulled back, her eyes haunted. She had an inkling of what's to happen but didn't protest, only giving him a short nod.

XXXXX

Scott waited until the last mutant arrived before closing the double doors of the game room. Everyone looked like he felt, like shit. He looked at Jean, who wouldn't meet his eyes.

Scott cleared his throat, halting all talking. "Well, I called this meeting to talk about Rogue." A ripple of fear circulated through the room and a phantom pain throbbed in his shoulder.

"What about her?" Kitty asked as an arm wound around Jamie protectively.

"We need to do something about her," Scott stated. In turn, he received several blank stares along with incredulous looks.

"What can we do?" Jean asked. "I don't know what happened to her. Every time I try to look into her mind, a dark veil is blanketing everything. I can't get a good read anymore," her voice trailed off, as she wrapped arms protectively around her waist.

Scott didn't want to give up hope despite all of her violent tendencies; he thought he could still save her. Every time he looked at her, he saw the lonely Goth, not this violent, bitter shell of her former self.

Last night, while mulling over what to do, he flipped through his old photo album. Some of his most precious possessions rested in there, including a lone-yellowed photo of his parents, Alex and himself. It was quite thick because of the newer photos he collected, also very important to him. One of the last ones was of Rogue, blushing. He smiled fondly at the memory. She tried her hardest to hide from him, even threatening bodily harm yet he wouldn't be deterred. Finally, he cornered her yet she wouldn't yield. Only after Scott told her that she was beautiful no matter if she didn't have her makeup on. Smiling softly toward the camera, a light blush dusting her cheeks, her eyes shining brightly, she looked like an angel. This person was his friend and he was going to save her from herself.

"Maybe we can talk to her, tell her that this kind of behavior is not acceptable," Scott answered.

A bitter chuckle escaped from Kurt. God guided his actions in life and preached about forgiveness but with her, he doubted he had the capacity to do it. The fact was that her betrayal hurt him bad, even if she was _fixed_, he _didn't_ want anything to do with her. Seeing Scott's hopeful face angered him, and perhaps filled him with a twinge of guilt that he, her brother, didn't get that feeling.

"She doesn't care about you or anyone here!" he snapped, the guilt swelling within him. "She'll just tell you to fuck off!" Several gasps could be heard from his less than savory language. Shaking his head slowly, he scoffed as he envisioned Scott's plan. "She's gone beyond help!"

"We can still help her," Scott countered. Kurt was amazed at his loyalty. Maybe one day, he could display that sort of loyalty to someone deserving. "I know she's still there somewhere! That thing is not Rogue, I know her!"

Jean felt a pulse of jealously. The passion in his voice, Scott truly believed what he was saying. Insecure and jealous, she spoke, "We can't help her. We let her get away with far too much!"

Murmurs of agreement followed her statement. Avoiding Scott's stare she continued, "How far are we going to let her get away with this? Until someone is truly hurt or maybe even…"

"She would never do that!" Scott said, offended.

Anger now fueling her, Jean grabbed the still injured Jamie, ignoring his surprised and pained cry. Yanking his shirt over his head, she pointed to his broken body. "How do you explain this?" she cried. "How can you defend her after all she's done to me, him, to you, to everyone?"

"I know it's not her," he repeated. A cry of frustration escaped Jean but she didn't continue to argue. "I would do the same whether it be Rogue, you or anyone else here. And I know retaliating won't solve our problems."

"Why don't we just kick her out?" Kitty inquired.

"The Professor still believes he can save her, still sees the good in her 'heart'," Kurt answered, his eye flicking over to Scott briefly before settling back to Kitty. "He would never kick her out."

"I'm sick of living in fear," Jamie spoke up. "Never knowing what she had planned for me or one of you guys. I don't want to be scared anymore."

Ray cracked his knuckles. "Let's just jump her! I'm tired of all this talking bullshit! You guys aren't going anywhere; just keep repeating the same shit over and over. We don't know what do about her, she won't stop hurting people and you people are too chicken shit to stop her."

"Ray, she's our friend!" Scott cried, outraged. "Violence never solves anything!"

"That _thing_ is not our friend! When she insulted Kitty, Kurt, hurt Jean, you and Jamie, that wasn't _our_ Rogue. She needs to be stopped!" Ray countered, his hands clenching into fists. "Like I said, she's beyond our help. We let her get the first punch, now it's time to start hitting back."

XXXXX

Heaving herself over the gate, she tugged her jacket closer. The sun just dipped below the horizon and the streets were empty. Humans barely stayed outside after the sun went down. Who knows when the boogey mutant will come out? However, she liked being alone. The idiots at the house grated her nerves.

Walking down the street, she felt the Charles' probe and laughed at his feeble attempt to get into her mind. Feeling generous, she allowed a connection to form. Immediately, she felt his concern and it made her sick.

_Where are you going Marie? He asked._ Marie. How she hated that name. It reminded her of her mother. A pulse of anger swept through her.

_Walking. Or is that a crime Charles? Would you rather I come home and…_ Instead of voicing her intention, flashes of his students lifeless on the floor as she stood over them the lone victor, played through their connection. Laughing at the horror he felt, she severed the connection.

Charles was what she referred to him; she never calls him Professor Xavier. Logan hated her lack of respect but she didn't really give a rat's ass about what Logan thought. Pawns, that's what they all were and the sick part was that the dumb shits didn't even realize it. They looked up to him like some sort of great messiah when he was the devil himself. Their ignorance pissed her off!

"Hey there, could you spare a dollar?" a voice asked, breaking her from her inner rant. Looking up, three men were crowded close to her, leering. _Just what I'm looking for_.

"Fuck off asshole," she spat. Turning her back, she felt one grab her shoulder roughly. She let the man shove her into a darkened alleyway and up against the wall.

"You sure got a mouth on you girly," one sneered as he forced her to face them. A knife appeared in his hand and he brought it close to her face then to her neck. "Now, give me your fucking money."

Setting her eyes wide, she reached into her jacket and threw the wallet onto the floor, where the other quickly snatched it. Rifling through her little money, the one holding the knife checked her out. He could feel his slimy gaze as it worked over her face, down her black camisole and formfitting jeans. An obvious erection sprang from his jeans as he crudely licked his lips.

A look passed between the men and the one with the knife pressed it deeper. The knife broke skin, eliciting a slight hiss from her. "Now, if you don't wanna die, take off your clothes."

Sighing, in what she hoped sounded like resignation, she reached within her mind and pulled on Magneto's powers. She could feel his power course through her body and a dumpster nearby groaned as she tested herself. Ahh, she could feel his anger.

_Quietly, his cell door opened. Not like the previous time, when they come in shouting and bearing arms. Yet, he could feel himself trembling already. _

"_Nein," he pleaded softly. A soft chuckled emitted from his nightly visitor. He scrambled to the farthest corner, praying that tonight he could die. A scream emitted from his lips as a hand wrapped around his ankle, tugging him closer to the man._

_He stunk of sweat and death and he desperately fought the man off. After a vicious blow to his head, one that made him see stars, he stopped. Lying motionless, he allowed the man to crudely grind against him._

_When the cool air hit his bottom, he could only whimper for he knew what going to come. Biting his lip to stop from crying out, he felt the flesh give as the man brutally enters him. Screams erupted from him but it only spurned the man to go faster. After his throat tired, he could only cry bitterly as the man came closer to completion. Spilling inside of him, he felt like his insides were alit and he dug his nails into his palms. Giving him an affection pat on the head, he continued to cry as semen and blood oozed from his backside._

_The man whispered, "Hübsch." Then left._

"She sure is pretty," one man remarked.

Erik roared and she let go of his anger. Waves of anger licked her; she could feel herself drowning in it. Even as the blade cut deeper into her neck, she felt nothing but white hate. Concentrating, she pushed the blade away from her, bending it. Shocked, the man dropped it.

She lashed out, her strength multiplied. She caught the closest one, the one that was holding the knife, in the gut. His flabby midsection gave way and she pushed as hard as she could, sending him flying through the air. Slamming into the wall with a sickening crunch, he fell into a lifeless heap onto the floor.

The others looked at her, immobilized and stunned. Using that as an opportunity, she summoned a pipe from inside the wall and it landed gently into her hands. This broke the guys out of their trance and they both jumped her. Swinging the pole, she caught the first in his knee, breaking it horribly. He fell to the floor, a weeping mess and useless. Turning back to the other one, he brought out a gun and was pointing it at her, trembling.

Laughing, she beckoned him to shoot. A bang resonated through the alley, echoing off the walls. Throwing out a hand, she threw up a magnetic field, stopping the bullet a foot from her. It clattered onto the ground, useless. She watched in amusement as his face transformed into horror. She swung her pole, at his head, smashing him face first into the wall.

Drawing forth Jean's power, she connected the three would-be-rapists' minds together. Each felt each other's pain, sadness and looming death.

She sauntered up the one with the broken leg. He wasn't making much noise besides an occasional sob.

"You're going to die now and it will be horrible and painful," she stated, pulling off a glove. Touching his face, she felt the pull. Screams tore from his mouth and soon his companions joined as they felt it too.

After she felt nothing more, she pulled her hand away. Her limbs tingled and a surge of adrenaline filled her being. Nothing compare to the feeling of stealing powers, minds and lives. The rush excited her and she moaned as excitement flooded her body.

The man screamed in outrage in her head but she silenced him, shoving him into the farthest recesses of her mind.

Quickly, she went over to the one she smashed face first into the wall. He bled profusely from his head and she knew he would die soon.

Usually, one person was all she did. The one time she decided to take two, she wound up unconscious for three hours and woke up with one of the biggest migraines. Not to mention that the voices all decided to speak up and in her weakened state, she couldn't silence them.

Feeling her high dying, she glanced her fingers across his temple. Another surge of power, of _life_, shot through her and she couldn't repress the shudder of pleasure. Wanting for the feeling to continue, she pressed harder, willing her powers to work harder, to suck more life into her.

Five seconds later, the pull stopped. Rising to her feet, she felt a little light-headed. The voices were starting to murmur and she willed them to shut up. After a few moments all was silent. A whimper turned her attention to the final victim.

She strode over to him and stood over his broken body. Sneering down at him, she spat onto his face. "You fucking disgust me. And because you dared to touch and hurt me, you suffered the most. Don't worry, now, it's over and you will die."

Amazingly, he turned his head to her, a bloody eye connecting with her. "I'll get you bitch. You don't know who you're fucking dealing with."

She scoffed at him. "A little late to be making threats." With that said, she wrapped a hand around his throat and squeezed. Most humans could survive only three minutes without air and she decided to test that theory. The pull started and she willed it to slow down, savoring the delicious kill. Two minutes later he was dead.

She rose to her feet, her body shaking. She cursed; she knew she overdid it. A violent maelstrom of voices attacked her head and she could only bring her hands to her head before passing out.

XXXXX

A sigh heaved from Charles. Ororo looked up from her papers and saw him begin to massage his temples.

"Is it Rogue?"

He nodded. "I was tracking her but everything sort of disappeared quite suddenly. Right before, I felt new psyches entering her mind."

She closed her eyes and prayed. "Goddess, do you believe that she killed them?"

A somewhat bitter chuckle escaped his lips and he tossed her the newspaper that was resting in his lap. Headlines read 'Mysterious Deaths Baffle M.E. and Police'. "I've read the reports. Bodies perfectly fine and healthy, besides the fact that they're dead."

Ororo scanned the newspaper and tossed it away, disgusted. She couldn't believe it! A student, someone she taught for years, killing people in cold-blood! She didn't know what happened to the teen that was once a great student and family member but she knew that her feelings couldn't stop her from dealing with Rogue.

Making her way to him, she steeled herself. Knowing the Professor's kindness, she knew she had to be the one to push him to action, even if it went against everything he taught. Sitting across from him, she gazed into his pained eyes. "What are you going to do with her?"

He didn't answer right away, instead continued to gaze at her. Sensing what he wanted, she nodded, allowing him to enter her head. Seeing what he needed to do, finally, he spoke up, "I'm going to do it."

Relief flooded through her as the Professor agreed with her plan. Even though she felt guilty for _even_ considering something so heinous, she thought of all the people that they would save, her other students and possibly world. Those thoughts squashed the guilt and hardened her resolve.

The Professor looked ill and she knew she had to make him see. "Think of the children, Charles. Think of all the people that we could save by doing this."

He nodded. "I know Ororo. We are doing this for the kids. Some sacrifices must be made for the greater good."

XXXXX

Everyone gathered in the war room. Scott looked over to Jean, who shrugged. A quick glance around the room showed the main X-Men in attendance except for Wolverine and Rogue.

Xavier came inside and took his place at the head of the table. The man seemed ten years older and frail, a sharp difference from their austere leader. A drop in his gut told him that something was wrong.

"I've called this meeting to discuss a mission with you," Xavier began.

He knew the mission schedules and knew there wasn't one scheduled. "Sorry, Professor, but there wasn't a mission scheduled until two weeks from now," Scott interrupted.

"I know Scott but something came up and we must act swiftly. As we speak, Rogue is heading home and I fear for everyone's lives. Everyone knows of her recently change in behavior and it is steadily worsening. I will try one last attempt before expelling her from the school and that is where I need everyone's help. I believe that she will become violent and I need you to work together to subdue her."

Scott blinked a few times, trying to work what he had heard. "You want us to subdue her? Using violence?"

He held up his hand, halting any more questions. "Only if she uses violence first. I wish for this to be fast which is why I decided that everyone would team together. I trust that you can carry this out?" he inquired, voice laced with skepticism.

His doubt rankled his nerves and he gave the Professor a curt nod before leaving. Everyone else nodded too before leaving to suit up. Xavier wasn't a holy man, he never believed that there was a God and he never prayed to him once. After everyone left, he bowed his head and prayed that this would work.

XXXXX

Rogue awoke later, her head throbbing and the voices in chaos. Yet, it didn't compare to the anger and hate she felt. _That man…_ now, she knew what he meant. The voices crescendo, yet, it was dulled and muffled. Crying out, she pounded a fist into the pavement, denting it. Bones broke and stabbed out of her skin and she howled in pain. Yet, she watched as it healed within moments. This was not good. Usually her powers were well controlled and only came when called upon. Unconscious use of her powers meant that she was fucked.

_Roguey, I'm going to have some fun with you_. Recognizing the voice as _that_ man, she could do nothing as he shifted through her mind, poking and prodding. Nails grew dark and her senses came alive.

_Fuck! Control, control, control…_

Yet, despite all the control she _thought_ she had, the truth was that she overdid it. With a weakened defense, the voices were rolling over and that man was leading the charge. With laughter reverberating from the walls inside her head, she felt herself sinking within.

_Goodnight Roguey…_

Darkness was claiming her and she didn't fight it.

XXXXX

Those combating waited within the Danger Room, while the others hid away with Xavier by Cerebro. Xavier waited with Cerebro perched on his head, tracking the wayward girl.

Speaking into a headset, "She's moving now. She's almost home."

"Got it Chuck. I'll call ya after we get 'er," Logan answered. Uniform donned, he turned to the chosen few for the assignment. Giving each a firm stare, he ignored the scent of fear permeating the air and growled to grab everyone's attention. "Listen 'ere. We ain't gonna kill the girl, just knock 'er out and we'll be done."

Scott swallowed the hard lump lodged in his throat. He was scared shitless, no denying it. Though he still believed in saving her, he knew it was going to be a war trying to help her. With her control over their borrowed powers, he didn't know if they could stop her and voiced his concern.

From the many worried nods, he could see that this was a big concern. Sighing, "Look, Rogue might have control, she might not. We gotta stop 'er, that's it."

Whirring noises sounded as plasma screens lowered. Flicking on, they could see Rogue walking in the hallway, humming. Then eerily, she turned to face the camera. She saluted as a familiar red glow emitted from her eyes. Seconds later the screen fuzzed out.

It was a frightening sight. He wondered if that was what he looked like right before he did it. Scott swallowed again, his anxiety bubbling in his chest. "Guess that answers my question."

"She's close Logan, less than a minute from the Danger Room," Xavier warned.

Ignoring his fear, Scott switched into leader mode. "Everyone into formation. Wait for her to enter, then on my word, we'll attack."

Everyone scrambled off, facing the door. He, along with Jean and Logan, waited in front of Kitty and Kurt, while Storm hovered above them. The doors creaked as she pushed it open. Holding the door open, she gazed impassively at them.

"Everyone's out to play huh?" she asked, letting the doors shut behind her. Warning bells immediately went off, her voice was off and without her twang. Suddenly remembering the incident happening only a few weeks ago, he wondered if she was really in control.

"Rogue? Really?" Scott inquired. She chuckled and began to peel off her clothes. Slowly, layer upon layer was removed, exposing flawless milky skin; he fought hard not to gawk. Down to a sports bra and bicycle shorts, she obscenely ran a hand over her body, a malicious glean in her eyes.

"So, you want to play?" she asked them. "I'm going to enjoy killing you all."

Wolverine growled and launched.

XXXXX

Five minutes passed and he felt his first twinge of worry. Most mutants were no match for his team and most battles end swiftly. He had timed it and five minutes was the average. With the exception of a few, Magneto and Sabretooth, most were done within that timeframe. As the minutes passed with silence, he could feel like something was terribly wrong. Looking at the frightened students, he tried to give them a comforting smile, only for it to come out as a grimace.

"Children stay here and do not open the door for anyone." He pushed himself out. Instantly, he noted the heavy silence that echoed through the hall. With his worry high, he quickly wheeled himself into the elevator and soon into the living room.

A startled cry tore from his lips as he noticed the chaos. Furniture was smashed, nothing was spared and the blood…it was everywhere. Scattered around the room, his students were on the floor and after a quick scan, alive for the most part.

"Ah, Xavier. So glad that you came," Rogue said from the couch, not a scratch on her body. "Surprised?" she asked with a wave of her hand. "I was impressed, they lasted for ten minutes. But they'll die soon, you'll join them in heaven or hell and then I'll go after the rest."

"I'm going to stop you Rogue." He brought out Cerebro and placed it on his head. "I'm sorry," he whispered. _I'm sorry that I failed you Rogue_.

Since the discovery of his gift, Xavier had tested his strength when younger but as he grew older, stopped with his experiments. At his strongest, he could decimate most of the population with the help of Cerebro. Every year he honed his skills, making his telepathy stronger. Yet, never had he used his telepathy for harm or used the full extent of his power.

Feeling her power begin to shake him, sending the various object of the room into a violent flurry, he sent out his strongest telepathic blast. Rogue cried as she received the blast yet she didn't fall, instead dropped to her knees, obviously struggling to stand. Under a different situation, he would have been impressed with her tenacity but it frustrated and frightened him. Sending out another strong blast, Rogue cried then promptly passed out.

He felt drained and his body shook with effort. Quickly, he invaded her mind and wiped out all of her memory. Usually a process this expansive took several hours of careful navigation and constant checking, to see if the person wasn't harmed anymore. However, he didn't care for once and forcefully wiped her mind clear. Brain damage, comas, altered personality even death was all possible side affects and for the first time in his life, he didn't care.

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Nein: No (in German)

Hübsch: Pretty (in German)

Don't know any German and all my translations came from the Internet so please excuse me if they are wrong!

September 5, 2010

Redid Chapter 2. Think I like this one much better but I would enjoy hearing everyone's opinion on this.

June 11, 2012

Minor changes here and there.

therapist


	3. The Morning After

DISCLAIMERS: Does it look like I own any of this?

Author Notes: This takes place after Impact. Well, it has been years since I have updated. I got a new penname but nothing much has changed. I think I will be able to continue this story and hopefully all of those that had review in the past will rediscover this and review again. Enjoy.

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**Black Coffee**

_**The Morning After**_

**By Therapist**

He paced nervously along her bed. If one looked closely, they could see where his shoes tread. The dark circles under his eyes gave away his fatigue; one could only guess how long he has been awake. Thirty-two hours, twelve minutes, and fifty seconds, give or take a minute; he would answer.

Every glance at the clock, time slowed down. _Is that damn thing working?_ He looked at it three times and that minute hand had yet to move. He silently cursed as he realized his own futility. He ran his finger through his hair, thinking about his uselessness, it was quite frustrating.

_Why couldn't there have been another way? Was this the only option left? Did we even try to think of anything else? Did our anger blind us so much that we could not see any other option?_ These were but a few questions running through his mind. While the others were celebrating, he mourned. The guilt riddled his body, leaving a bitter taste in his mouth.

He glanced down at her body. She looked gaunt, even paler than before, if that was possible at all. There were tubes connected all over her body, keeping her alive. Xavier told him that there was not anything physically wrong with her. He snorted, remembering the battle vividly. She had absorbed Wolverine so much that every wound they inflicted had healed within seconds.

There was nothing wrong with her; yet, she has not regained consciousness once. He could only speculate that the Professor had something to do with this. Waking after that horrid, disastrous battle, they discovered her still and he thought for a minute, dead. Xavier's voice broke the group from the trance, informing them that she was still alive. Most scurried away from her body, however, he stepped forward. What compelled him to step forward? For a brief second, the Professor gazed upon the sleeping mutant with sadness and remorse. Something clicked within his mind, the pieces meshing.

The Professor had altered her. He had done something he had preached against, marking him as a hypocrite. He kept this information to himself. It was hard enough to digest. He did not want his teams' conscious to suffer as well.

As he lifted the petite woman into his arms, he made sure he caught his teacher's eyes. Sending him a message he would not forget, he carried her down to the Medlab. Hank intercepted him at the elevator, prepped. He handed her over and remained in the room. Hank remained silent, his hands working swiftly and diligently.

His body felt numb, devoid of any emotion. He should have felt outraged, ecstatic, or melancholy, anything! Yet, watching Hank poke and prod Rogue elicited nothing from him.

He wished he could be useful in some way, instead of standing on the side, doing nothing. Hours later, Hank finished and with an unreadable expression, he informed him, "Rogue's in critical condition. Nothing is wrong with her body per se," he added noting his panicked expression. "Her mind is extremely fragile and because the nature of Rogue's mind, it being complex, I'm speculating that her mind had induced a coma."

Hank cleaned up and removed his scrubs. "Xavier informed me what had…transpired," he hesitated, his face contorting with effort, "I… I'll inform the rest of the team of Rogue's condition."

That was yesterday. Jean attempted to pry him out of the room, departing after he snapped at her. She reeled back, shocked, as if he had slapped her. It felt like he did. Resisting the urge to run and comfort her, he did the exact opposite, instead turning his back to her. He felt her gaze boring holes into his back and he felt a tug in his head. _She cannot know._

"Just stop it Jean," he said curtly. He knew her questions but this was his burden. "Leave us alone." Her sobs echoed in the hallway, wrenching his heart out. God, he hoped no one else was going to try to convince him to leave.

XXXXX

_Where am I?_ Lights peaked from the creases of my lids as I trickled into consciousness. Suppressing a groan, I peeled one eye open, a light blinding me immediately. Damn, that hurt.

"Just stop it Jean." Tensing, I pretended to be asleep, hoping whoever they were would not see through my guise. Hearing nothing, I braved an eye open to a tiny slit. A beautiful redhead waited in the doorway, perhaps this was Jean. She paid me no heed, instead all of her attention focused on the man. He was…angelically handsome. Heat spread through my cheeks. This is not the time to be looking for a potential boyfriend; I scolded my horny body. I turned my attention back to the couple, for it was obvious that they were together. He remained unmoving as she glared into his back.

"Leave us alone," he sighed. I felt a pang of sadness as she ran out, tears flowing. His hand gripped her bedpost, his knuckles turning white. Shame filled my chest, having intruded on an intimate moment between the lovers.

Instinct and compassion guided my hand. His skin was unmarred and silky. I opened my mouth to voice my concern but his hand gripped my wrist. Two things happened at once, I became afraid suddenly and a tingling sensation coursed through my body.

He stiffened and my mind shattered. I screamed as a barrage of images and memories slammed into my mind. My hands flew to my temple, tears springing from my eyes as my head throbbed intensely.

"Stop it!" I screamed.

_Like a movie, everything was happening in slow motion. Teammates were dropping as things whizzed violently through the air. Hearing a familiar cry, I turned to see Jean fall to the ground and Rogue gripping onto her hand. Anger unlike anything I felt pulsed in my veins, eliciting an uncharacteristic roar from me. A raised eyebrow was her response and she flung Jean's limp hand to the ground._

_A smile breaks through her face, contorting it into something dark and twisted. "Just you and me Summers..."_

_A quick glance around the room reveals the truth of her words. Shit, where did Logan go?_

"_I will beat you Rogue!" I yelled at her. She smirked at that remark, taking flight. Her hands flowed like liquid, several object floating up next to her. My hands flew to my visor, raising the power to maximum, I could not let her win; the team was counting on me. I released the power, it slamming directly into her chest. She screamed in agony as she was blasted back, slamming into the wall, creating a crater. Raising my hands in victory, I could not help but grin. I quickly went to Jean's side, my hands flying to her neck. There was a pulse, weak but still beating. I heard a groan coming from behind me. I whirled around, my eyes widening as she rose slowly, shaking the rubble from her body. The hole, which the blast created, healed before my eyes. _

"_I should've known better," I remarked, mostly to myself. She chuckled slightly as the wound sealed up completely._

"_Is that the best that X-Men have?" she spat, her pretty face contorting to one of rage. "I've had children hit me harder than that!" she taunted as we began to circle each other. "Perhaps if someone died, it would make you try harder!" Her eyes flicked over to Jean's body, a wicked smile creeping on her face._

_Anger drowned everything, till all I could hear was the rapid beat of my heart. I lunged for her, all logic lost in my ire. My gloved hands wrapped around her slim neck. Remembering all that she's done to us, I could feel nothing but white-hot hate. She looked mildly surprise as I tackled her to the ground. Scorn soon replaced that look and she did not fight against me. All the taunts, beatings, threats echoed in my head forcing my grip to tighten. Hearing her neck snap, the anger dissipated._

"_Oh, God..." _

I snapped out of that trance. My hands shook violently, fear rocking me to my core. There was no mistaking it; the man from her memory was the man that I tried to comfort.

He swooned before dropping to the floor. A scream tore from my mouth before I slammed a hand over it, muffling my cries. _What was going on?_ Tears formed and a few trickled down my cheeks. I felt confused; nothing made sense. My tears soon stopped and I went over to the sink to wash my face. Halting in front of the reflection, I could only gasp in horror as I saw who was staring back at me. I am that Goth girl!

That means that he was trying to kill me, my gaze coming back to the fallen man. He did kill me, suddenly remembering the snap I heard. I gripped the sink, steadying my reeling body. What was going on and why are my eyes glowing red?

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What will happen to Rogue? Well, it is a secret, but just to let you folks know, I am bad at keeping secrets.

Love it, hate it; leave a review and let me know!

Peace!


	4. Filler

DISCLAIMERS: Does it look like I own any of this?

Author Notes: This takes place after Impact.

AN: I send an apology to all of my readers. It's been a while since I've updated (not years but I'm sure it felt like it) and I must say that I had a really difficult time writing this chapter. I think I must have written at least ten versions of this chapter. The final product, well, I will rate it a C+. Trust me though when I say this version is WAAAAY better than the other ones. I am sorry about the crapiness of this chapter again but I am my own worst critic. (I think everything I write is shit yet, I still write. Go figure)

Thanks to every that reviewed; they are appreciated.

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**Black Coffee**

_**Changing of the Guard**_

**By Therapist**

"Welcome to New York, may I take your bag?" the driver offered. She shook her head, clutching the parcel tighter. The driver frowned, before masking it with a bright smile. Noticing her dapper walking stick, he opened the door for her. "Whatever the missus wants," he conceded. He held the door open for her and she entered gracefully.

Getting in, he glanced back at her. She turned her gaze from the window, her milky eyes locking with his. A shiver ran through his body; her gaze pierced his soul.

Clearing his throat, he asked for a destination. She broke their gaze, a heavy sigh escaping her lips. Closing her eyes, she suddenly aged ten years.

"Bayville, please," she whispered.

XXXXX

I stared hard at the mirror, as if the answers were going to come to me. The red glow disappeared, yet, they left me with more questions. Though my head throbbed as memories bounced around, I couldn't do anything but watch. Memories, one's that I knew did not belong to me, played in my mind. Little things like knowing that Jean wears Escada perfume to major ones like knowing a plane crash was responsible for my parents, no, Scott's parents' death. Memories jumbled in my head, making it hard to discern between Scott's and my own memories…

I felt my eyes widen as I scoured my memories, looking for a sign, trace, anything that belonged to me. All I got were stolen memories, nothing original.

_What is going on? Why can I not remember anything? I know my name is Rogue…_ then I realized that I had borrowed that tidbit of information as well. Panic seized me and I stumbled out of the room, almost tripping over the unconscious Scott. Ignoring him, I blindly wandered the halls, my hands attached to my forehead, hoping that this was a fluke, a joke my friends were playing on me.

_Which friends were talking about? Scott, do you remember that he was the one that snapped your neck in two? Yes, Scott seemed to be in a playful mood. Perhaps that is the way he greets all his friends. Can you just imagine what he does to Jean?_

"Shut up!" I whispered, horrified. The confusion I felt before was miniscule to what I felt right now. Stopping by the elevator, I clutched onto the wall for support. Tears clouded my vision and I slumped against the wall. Pitiful whimpers escaped my lips as I curled into a fetal position.

Amidst the sobs, I felt a pulse emit from my temple. My sobs halted and I rose, feeling calm. The noise in my head died suddenly and I no longer felt confused.

The elevator dinged and opened. Jean stepped out, oblivious to me. Remaining silent and still, I watched impassively as she called for Scott. Creeping up behind her, I swiftly clamped my hand over her mouth. A tingling sensation spread through my fingers then rapidly dispersed through my hands and arms. Jean dropped to the ground. Power coursed through my veins and I couldn't help but giggle as various objects took flight.

_You…I like this power… _I peered down at the unconscious girl and decided I that I did indeed. Grabbing her bare hand, I felt that familiar tug and the rush that accompanied it. A moan escaped my lips; I relished the power flowing through my veins.

"Rogue!" a voice interrupted. I released her hand and turned around. "What have you done?" I remained silent, eyeing the wheel chaired man before me. Flexing my new powers, the window closest to me exploded, showering me with shrapnel.

"You lost Professor, now I have two very powerful players on my team," I stated. The words had just flowed from my lips and I knew not the meaning behind it. Before he could respond to my cryptic message, I flew away through the hole I created. The cool air stung my cheeks yet I pressed harder, speeding up.

With my instinct guiding me, I landed in a clearing in a forest, miles away from the city. I leaned against the tree, my powers drained.

A twig snapped, catching my attention. I straightened up, seeking the intruder. From the shadows, three figures stepped forward. I instinctively took a step back, my back pressing against the trunk of a tree.

"Relax Rogue, we're friends," the blonde spoke. Her voice soothed my nerves and I could not help but believe her. Yet, I readied myself just in case.

"Rogue, I know what happened to you," the elderly man spoke, his voice laced with venom and disdain. "I can help you get revenge on all those that hurt you," he offered with an open hand. I glanced at gloved hand, contemplating on his offer. I did not have many options; so, I grabbed his hand with little hesitation.

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Well, even though this was a filler chapter, it was necessary. Bonus points if you can guess who the three mystery figures are.

I'm already working on the next chapter and hopefully it won't take me too long to write it, not making any promises though.

Peace!


	5. Training

DISCLAIMERS: Does it look like I own any of this?

Author Notes: This takes place after Impact. Okay, I just watched the episode Impact again and Magneto dies in the end. So, for the purposes of this fanfic, the second half of Impact (the part about Apocalypse) did not happen, only Rogue killing off Mystique. Hope I don't confuse anyone out there. Just let me know and I'll try to explain it better.

To everyone that reviewed, you folks are awesome. Thanks for the input and support!

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**Black Coffee**

_**Training**_

**By therapist**

No one said a word after I shook that man's hand. Instead of explaining themselves, they walked off. I sprinted after them, confused but kept silent lest I be left behind in the forest. Eventually we came to a dirt street where a limo waited. The others climbed in quickly and I hesitated for a moment before remembering that I had nowhere else to go.

Silence permeated the limo, as I struggled with the questions that I wanted to ask and the warning that urged me to keep silent. Instead of speaking, I stared out the window, trying to focus on anything else but the people sitting with me, especially the woman across of me. My eyes drifted to her milky white ones and a chill coursed through my body. Her gaze never wavered from mine and it was I who broke the contact. Even though she was blind, I could not help but suspect that she could see me. Shaking my head at such silly thoughts, I proceeded to stare out the window again.

Through the ride, I took time to assess the other. The woman, dressed in the most provocative white outfit, gave me a weird vibe. _She looks like a prostitute._ Blue eyes caught mine as she turned from the window. An elegant eyebrow lifted and I tore my gaze, my cheeks flushing.

I heard a light chuckle emit from the man and I found myself looking him over. His aura screamed regal and I knew that he was dangerous and that scared me.

_What was I doing here with people I know nothing about? How do I know if they're really my allies or just waiting for the moment to kill me?_

One question turned into a million as I tried to assess the situation. Each second of silence escalated my panic. Finally, the silence was too much. "Will someone will tell me what's going on?" I shouted. I glared at my "friends", waiting for someone to speak up. "Well?"

"We are here," the elderly one spoke. It broke my glare and I turned to gaze at my new home. While it was not as grandeur as a mansion, it was still an amazing site. Ivy overran the building, covering most of the walls. Steel poles ran through the windows, giving it an aura of a prison. Most impressive element was the crackling twenty-foot fence capped with barbwires and patrolled by nasty looking guard men armed with high-powered arms.

I stepped out, my mouth slightly agape. "Where are we?"

"Where no one can touch us," he answered. Lifting his hand, the gate opened with ease. Though I have never seen this before, it didn't frighten me. No, it filled me with a sense of déjà vu.

_That's Magneto, or as he likes to call himself, the Master of Magnetism. _

Startled, a yelp escaped my lips. I glanced around, looking for the culprit. The old man paid me no heed and for once the blind one as well, leaving the blonde. She gave me a small wave as I caught sight of her.

_She could not be doing that; there is no way._

_Yes, I am and yes, I can. You can too, if you want._ She had her hand held out.

I jumped slightly as her words echoed in my head. Telepathy, somehow it didn't startle me as much as I thought it should. I reached for her held hand. Concentrating, I could feel the air crackle with power. Magneto turned to observe his new apprentice. Emma gasped as I invaded her mind.

"_I sense her moving, and also I cannot pinpoint Scott's psyche," I whispered, relaying the info to Magneto. I glanced over to 'Destiny', her milky eyes locked onto mines. Who would have thought that the old geezer wasn't crazy and an actual prophet? Everything she has told us, it was happening just as she predicted._

_I clutched my head as Rogue's frantic thoughts barraged my head. Sensing her vulnerability, I whispered, 'Which friends were talking about? Scott, do you remember that he was the one that snapped your neck in two? Yes, Scott seemed to be in a playful mood. Perhaps that is the way he greets all his friends. Can you just imagine what he does to Jean?'_

_I could feel the confusion rolling off her like waves. Sensing her weakness, I invaded her mind. Instantly, I severed her connection and threw her into a deep sleep. With full control of her mind, I halted her tears. Rising up from the ground, I could feel another presence coming nearer._

_The elevator dinged and opened. Jean stepped out of the elevator, oblivious to me. Remaining silent and still, I watched impassively as she called for Scott. Creeping up behind her, I swiftly clamped my hand over her mouth. A tingling sensation spread through my fingers then rapidly dispersed through my hands and arms. _

_Jean psyche invaded our mind. Her faint shadow pounced onto me, knocking us to the ground._

'_What'd you do to me?' she screamed, viciously tearing at my hair. I drove my fist into her face, knocking her off me. Before she could attack me again, I created solid chains around her arms and legs._

"_Get very comfortable Red, you'll never break out of those or the prison I'm going to send you to." As I finished my speech, a door materialized beside the bound woman. She began to struggle earnestly but all in vain, my bonds were too powerful. Screaming in anguish and anger, I gave her a small wave before sending her to her prison. With the door closed, her screams faded to nothingness._

_Outside, Jean dropped to the ground. I could feel her power and decided to test it a bit. I giggled as several objects took flight._

'_Emma! Finish her off, what are you waiting for?' Magneto's voice boomed in my head._

_I peered down at the unconscious girl, grabbed her bare hand and held on, relishing the power flowing through my veins._

"_Rogue!" a voice interrupted. _

_My power rush prevented me from sensing him and I cursed inwardly. I released her hand and turned around. _

"_What have you done?" he asked quietly. I remained silent, eyeing the greatest telepath in the world. Flexing my new powers, the window closest to me exploded, showering me with shrapnel._

"_You lost Professor, now I have two very powerful players on my team," I stated._

'_And your little Jeannie, is trapped forever,' I added telepathically. His eyes widen in response and I smiled victoriously. _

_Before he could respond, I flew away through the hole I created. The cool air stung my cheeks yet I pressed harder, speeding up. With my powers waning, I could feel Rogue starting to stir and I pushed harder._

_I landed in a clearing in a forest, miles away from the city. My powers almost completely drained, I withdrew from her mind, not before locking away any residual memory coming from Cyclops. Turning to Magneto, I nodded, indicating my success. Stepping forward, a twig snapped beneath my feet. _

I ripped myself from her mind. A range of emotions raged in me; I decided to act on the strongest. My body sprung forward, lunging for the blonde and my hands wrapped around her glorious shiny hair. My sixth sense tingled and I threw up a shield, the large plywood bouncing harmlessly off.

I yanked hard, forcing her to jerk. "If you ever do that again, I will not hesitate to snap your pretty neck in two," I spat. Her eyes matched mines, both fiery and hard.

"Try it, babe," she retorted. Before I could carry out her death, something ice cold wrapped around my neck. Clasps clicked shut and I knew that was not good.

"Rogue, I would appreciate if you left my assistant in one piece," Magneto remarked, humor evident in his voice. I heard the machinery hum with life and a sharp sensation ripped through my body. Emma scoffed as I released her hair and stepped away from her.

"Emma, go inside and tend your wounds," Magneto ordered. Emma walked off and before disappearing through the metal double doors, sent me one last nasty look.

"What'd you do to me?" I whined. I felt oddly naked even though fully clothed.

"I sedated you. That sort of action will get you killed and next time I will not be there to restrain Emma."

My head fell in shame as his words sank my spirit. "But-"

"No buts Rogue! If you cannot control your anger, then you do not belong here with us. You are not an animal, acting on instinct. No, you are a mutant; you are above this sort of behavior. I will teach you how to act like a proper mutant, if you let me."

His harsh words elicited tears from me. He looked down at me in pity, which made me burst into sobs. "Please teach me," I managed in between sobs.

"First lesson," he started. I gazed at him, waiting. "Don't cry in front of anyone, especially me."

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Well, it's progressing slowly but I'm getting there. Keep leaving those reviews.

Next chapter: Magneto's starts training Rogue. See if she survives the day!

Peace!


	6. Breaking the Girl

DISCLAIMERS: Does it look like I own any of this?

Author Notes: This takes place after Impact. Okay, I just watched the episode Impact again and Magneto dies in the end. Therefore, for the purposes of this fanfic, the second half of Impact (the part about Apocalypse) did not happen, only Rogue killing off Mystique. Hope I don't confuse anyone out there. Just let me know and I'll try to explain it better.

Sorry for the long wait but you know how it goes.

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**Black Coffee**

_**Breaking the Girl**_

**By Therapist**

Magneto sighed, not out of frustration but relief. The girl finally fell asleep and without so much as a fuss. The strenuous day finally caught up to her causing her to pass out within seconds of stepping into her room.

This was not the way he envisioned his plan to work. Yet, he was not disappointed. He couldn't quite put a word to how he was feeling. Perhaps this was what victory felt like; it was a sensation he had yet to feel. _This must be what Charles feels every time his team comes back. One could get used to this taste._

The game officially began and he for once, held the advantage. He only intended to acquire Rogue and he got an added bonus. Now he has to alter his plans drastically. One cannot be so frivolous with these gifts bestowed upon him. He could not simply use them as he would everyone else. No, he had to be careful lest she turns against him.

_Emma will have to 'fix' our new girl._

Emma stepped into the room as he finished that thought, making him smile conspiratorially. Beckoning the telepath to the seat opposite of him, he began to hatch a brilliant new plan.

"Just the woman I needed." Being a telepath meant that their were no surprises and this was no exception. She merely raised a delicate eyebrow.

"I knew you would need me, for whatever new you were planning."

"You will need to work with Mastermind for this project."

Upon hearing his choice of partner, she let a frown grace her features. "Must I?"

"Yes, no objections. I need him for his illusions and I need you to manipulate her mind. Together you both will create a creature loyal to our cause." Seeing her mischievous grin, he could only guess that she agreed with his plan.

"So where is our illusionist?"

"Remy is acquiring our guest. They should be back soon."

"The cell then?" she asked, with a knowing grin. Though not official part of the team, Magneto kept close tabs on Mastermind incase his daughter has a relapse. The illusionist did not enjoy being stalked and tried on many occasions to leave town. He simply had to make the buildings groan, a reminder that his life was in his control. With a flick of his wrist, it could be forfeited. The illusionist decided to stay put, a smart decision on his part.

"No, not the cell this time." The last visit, Mastermind had spent the entirety of it in the holding room or as his subordinates like to call it, the cell. Now he knows his place, Magneto felt that the illusionist could be trusted to stay put in his own room.

"Back to _that_ girl, you better set boundaries Erik or else I'll have her as crazy as Pyro," Emma said, cleaning her nails. He knew better than to ignore that warning. Emma was one vindictive woman and while the bruises will fade to nothingness, her memory will not.

Guidelines, he will need to set. "I do not need another nutcase working for me. I have a pryokinetic psycho, a gambling thief, a blind prophet that speak in riddles, a worthless son that can pummel me to death if he ever grew some balls, you, a conniving, manipulative psychic bitch and an animal that I barely have control over."

She smiled as he described her, not looking offended as one would have guessed. "I guess Piotr is the normal one in this pack. Then again, being normal wouldn't that make you the odd one?"

"I need her loyal to us and not seconds from being committed. The X-Men are her enemies and every memory of them, I need them either wiped out or _altered_. How, I will leave that up to your discretion."

Smiling like the cat that ate the canary, she began plotting all the horrible memories she would feed that little bitch. "Sometimes being a bitch is a good thing."

"I did not say it was a bad." The feeling was back and he felt a cup of scotch would be perfect to commemorate this moment. At the door, he paused, suddenly remembering something. "One more thing," he interrupted her scheming, making her pout. He chuckled at her enthusiasm. "Go deep, overlook no corner. Do not worry about her survival. I would rather you be thorough and have her die, than incomplete."

She chuckled darkly. "Don't you worry; I don't give a damn about her survival."

XXXXX

Emma entered the room silently. The girl remained unaware of her presence, sleeping on peacefully, oblivious of the horrors she would soon be facing. She straddled the sleeping girl, ever cautious of her skin. The illusionist sidled next to her, his face determined.

"Tell me why we need to do this? I thought Xavier did the job for us already."

She let herself utter an exasperated sigh. "Xavier is too weak to do something like that. He did not erase her memories; he thought he did. All he did was store her memories behind a locked door, which is why you need me to open that door."

She placed her hand near Rogue's temple and entered the sleeping girl's mind. Usually upon entering anyone's mind thoughts would barrage her instantly. It was eerily silent in the girl's mind.

She watched in interest as a hallway materialized, with doors littered on both sides. A defense mechanism probably set up by Xavier, which only proved her theory correct. If one chose the wrong door, they would wander the recesses of her mind forever, unable to escape the labyrinth. _Xavier certainly has skill_. With a slight effort, the doors dissolved sans one.

Arriving at the door, a spectral Xavier appeared before her. "Don't do it Emma."

"She touched you too I see." He answered with silence. "Oh, I see now. You _touched_ her so a part of you will always be with her."

"You do not want to fight me," he warned. She laughed mirthlessly. "I am stronger than you are."

"Still cocky I see, that will be your undoing." She sent out her strongest telepathic blast. He grunted in effort as she continued the stream of power. She swatted off his blast and poured more power into hers. Dropping to his knees, he dropped his attack. She stood over him, peering over the bridge of her nose, her distaste apparent.

"Now watch as all your hard work is undone." The door swung open, much to Xavier's dismay. Flashing him a victorious smile, she stepped inside. Before the door closed, she sent him a blow, one even he could not survive.

With her work done, she withdrew. A nod from her, he began working.

_Rogue watched her mom as she made her favorite dish. Raven beamed at her as she stirred the pot. She felt the love from her smile._

"Gone," she whispered. "Make it unpleasant."

_Rogue watched as her mother stalked into the room. The terror she felt intensified as her mother flashed a dangerous smile. Why did her mother hate her?_

"That's perfect Mastermind. Now make sure you get every single memory in there." Merely nodding, he began the tedious process of weaving her memories, starting with her family. Emma sat comfortably on the bed, watching the illusionist. He impressed her with his craft, his quiet intensity and his maliciousness.

Within an hour, the girl cried out in pain numerous times, exciting her. The sadist in her turned on as she began to whimper. Emma began to rub her legs together, trying to rid some of the tension.

"I can barely concentrate with you doing that and you are projecting," he said after one delicious scene with her bent over the sofa was sent to him telepathically. "I am free after this."

Instantly, her libido died as images of Jason, naked filled her mind. She managed to suppress the rapidly rising bile. "As tempting as that offer is, I must refuse. I find that my fingers do a much better job than you or any man could ever do."

"Bitch," he muttered. "If you're only here to be a pain in my ass, why don't you find some other soul to torture? I think Remy should be around here somewhere."

She offered him a pout, earning a scowl in return. "You don't enjoy my presence, Jason?" She stretched languidly, making her shirt ride up farther, exposing her creamy perfect skin.

He watched her every movement, mesmerized by her pristine skin. Finally, he shook his head, breaking the spell. "I know evil when I see it. Did you not want to finish this tonight?"

"I guess you're right, spoilsport." Switching gears, she went into business mode. "How far along are you?"

"I've just finished with the last of her family memories. What should I do about the X-Men?"

Emma smiled cruelly. "Leave that to me."

_Scott offered a hand in friendship, not afraid of the girl with poison skin. Rogue blushed slightly before grabbing his hand, sealing their accord._

"But that's not how it went."

_Scott snarled as he released his beam. She cried as it hit her directly in the chest. Grabbing her hand roughly, he yanked and pulled her to god knows where. Her pleas fell upon deaf ears as he dragged her into the forest. _

"Well we can't be having this now can we?"

_Kurt carried a tray of charred looking food, which she guessed was courtesy of Kitty. Being confined to bed left her with no escape and she prayed that this new concoction would not be the end of her. He flashed an apologetic smile as he set the food down. Before leaving her to her doom, he gave a quick hug much to her surprise. She tried in vain to hide her smile._

"They have no love for you."

_She cried as the last of her food went to the floor where a shoe smashed it into mush. Kurt spat on her destroyed food and laughed along with the rest of the X-Men. "Eat that you whore," he yelled before disappearing around the corner._

"Whatever you thought of them…"

"_Come on Rogue, get with the program. Shake that thang!" Evan cried as he watched her dance, or tried to dance at least. _

"_Hey, she got her moves, I got mine," she retorted. Next to Kitty, she looked like she was auditioning for 'Thriller'._

"_Yeah, girl, you gotta go with it. Y'know, you're like a walkin' zombie or something," Kitty quipped, stealing the words right out of her head. Evan continued to film them, definitely focused more on Kitty than her._

_His face lit up and he set his camcorder aside. "Hey, listen Rogue, how 'bout you shed those gloves and give K-girl a tap." _

"_What? No way!" they cried in unison. _

_He held up a hand, halting both of their protests."Listen to me. Just enough to rip Kitty's moves." She paused, thinking about it. It could work…_

_She looked at Kitty, who appeared to be thinking it over as well. "It might work if I just concentrate on 'em." _

"_Okay, but you better not lay me out," Kitty said. Taking off her glove, she let her fingers brush lightly over her skin._

"_Whoa," she remarked in unison with Kitty. Evan turned up the music and she felt her hips shaking with the music. At that moment, she forgot all about her problems, happy to be among friends that trusted her._

"…is all wrong. They are not your friends."

_Evan filmed Kitty, who was dancing next to her. A foot shoved Rogue onto the ground, her skirt flipping up in the process. Kitty burst out in laughter along with her friends as Rogue tried to flip her skirt down. _

"_You forgot your drink," she said, tossing the punch on the fallen girl. She looked up at her tormentors._

"_What have I done to you," she cried._

"_You were born," Kitty spat._

"Whatever you thought of them before…"

_Opening the door, she was surprised as Xavier and Logan stood there. She stepped to the side, letting them enter her abode. Glancing at the clothes on the floor, garbage littering various surfaces, and her dirty underwear resting on the lampshade, she smiled sheepishly as they inspected her sty._

"_I'll clean after you leave," she muttered. Being here for a week and she already trashed the room. Maybe they're here to kick her out because she's such a slob. That's why he brought Logan; he's the muscle._

_Xavier let a small smile grace his lips as she projected her thoughts clearly. "I am not here to kick you out, my dear. And Logan is most certainly not my muscle," he said. Ignoring her bewildered look, he handed her a small device. She looked at the device in her hand, unsure of its purpose. "That is a communicator."_

"_What's it for?" she asked._

"_Well, everyone gets one when they get their uniform," Xavier explained. Logan pulled out her uniform from the sack that she didn't see him carrying. Her own uniform, she was officially an X-Men._

_She gazed at the uniform, her eyes watering slightly. No words could explain her happiness; she was finally part of their family._

"…they are all lies that they told you."

_Wolverine sheathed his claws, his nostrils flaring. They circled each other, waiting for someone to make the first move. Finally, he lunged at her with surprising speed. She cried as she couldn't duck the blow and the adamantium claws shredded her skin._

"Don't you remember how they tried to kill you?"

"_I will take you down!" Scott yelled at her. She smirked at that remark, taking flight. Her hands flowed like liquid, several object floating up next to her. He cranked up the power, releasing a powerful beam it slamming directly into her chest. She screamed in agony as she was blasted back, crashing into the wall, creating a crater. He yelled in victory as she crashed into the floor, unmoving. She paused to catch her breath before rising. The hole, which he created, healed before his eyes. _

"_I should've known better," he remarked, mostly to himself. She chuckled slightly as the wound sealed up completely._

"_Is that the best that X-Men have?" she spat, her pretty face contorting to one of rage. "I've had children hit me harder than that!"_

_He lunged for her, all logic lost in his ire. His gloved hands wrapped around her slim neck. She looked mildly surprise as he tackled her to the ground. Scorn soon replaced that look and he pressed harder, her eyes bulging and her skin taking on a bluish tinge. _

Finished finally, Emma allowed herself to collapse onto the floor. It was done and she couldn't be happier with the results.

XXXXXXXXXX

Enjoy and review! Thanks

therapist


	7. New Day

DISCLAIMER: I do not own X-Men Evolution nor do I make any money from this. So, do not sue please!

AN: Hi y'all. I am back and I know where I want to take this. I hope to finish this one day. Like many others out there, I do have a problem with commitment as well as motivation to keep going. However, I will try my hardest to see this to the end. Scout's honor. (Even though I'm not a scout ^.^)

XXXXXXXXXXX

**Black Coffee**

_**New Day**_

**By therapist**

Emma came into his study, a victorious smile on her face. "I found something you might like."

"Besides your beauty and viciousness? Hard to believe but very well then, what is it?"

"I found it in our new girl."

He raised an eyebrow. "Now you said something I _might_ like. I also _might _not like it."

"Did you know that she doesn't permanently absorb the powers of mutants?"

"I figured."

"When the girl dove into my mind, she was still using Jean's telepathy. After our session, the girl awoke. I threw with a weak psychic attack, one that an even amateur, like Grey, could have taken. It knocked her out cold."

"Very good Emma. This is news that I do like."

It was true that Magneto had overlooked the fact that Jean was a psychic, a rash decision on his part. When given a choice to take down an enemy, one does not mull on it. They go for it before the chance vanishes. A telepath would have made this fabrication much harder to pull off. Now this, it was fate. The gods have finished toying with him and given him a legitimate chance to win this war.

"However, she still retained Jean's telekinesis."

Shocked, he looked at Emma. "That is surprising."

"Would you like to see the bruise which I received when she dumped me out of her room?" Emma lifted her leg onto the chair, ready.

"As tempting as that is, I take your word for it. Are you sure it isn't a residual effect?"

"I thought it could be that but I would have thought that it would have faded at the same time."

His mind churned over this new information, forming theories about Rogue's powers. "Perhaps, touching someone for a long period gives Rogue permanent use of the power."

"What about the telepathy? Why would one be gone and the other stay?"

He also wondered why and remembered a conversation he had with Xavier when they still talked despite their differences in opinion. "When Jean's telepathy emerged, she couldn't handle it and therefore, Xavier had locked away that power and let it develop slowly over time. In its stead, telekinesis had become her main power; something she utilized and used to its full potential."

"I suppose."

"That is why I need you to train the girl. To see if my theory is correct and if it is, then you will teach her to use it properly."

Groaning, she plopped into the chair, very unladylike. "Must I? I might strangle the bitch before the first hour."

"I have complete confidence in you and your ability to restrain your anger." When her pout deepened, he added, "Did I mention you will also do a few sparring sessions with her."

Instantly, she perked up and jumped from her chair. "Well since you asked so nicely, I will accept your offer and train the brat. Though I am making no promises about the condition she will be in when we finish." Emma flashed a wicked smile before leaving his room.

The hour was late and he decided to attempt to sleep. Yet, one certainly could not rest after learning such news, though he did try. At five, he rose from bed. Sleep very seldom came for him and when it did, it was in spurts that did little to rest him. Tonight or today was no different. Though he tried to quell all his thoughts, his head did not want to turn off. The possibilities, the plans he could hatch occupied his mind. Thus, pacing began.

A meeting with the X-Men was imminent. The girl could not remain hidden from them forever. Now, would her new memories endure if she had absorbed her fellow X-men? Would those memories cause the false ones to reveal their true nature? Thinking for a moment, he concluded that it would not but he was not as confident as he wished. Because there were no original memories, she would not readily believe the absorbed ones. This fabrication was built upon lies and if needed, lie they would do. Just like Wolverine, she too would have trouble eventually telling which memory was hers and which ones were planted. If the situation spiraled out of control then he would have Emma fix her again, though that was a desperate resort. Tinkering too much with the mind could lead to psychosis; the damage would be great.

Another thing that plagued him was that Mastermind's skill was great yet Xavier's power was greater. What took all night to do, he can undo in mere seconds. Perhaps the reason why he held hope was Xavier's conscious. What he had done to the girl went against everything he taught and that could not have been done lightly. To do it again was not a feat he thought Xavier could do. His conscious as well as teachings would be in danger. The guilt would eat his soul, leaving nothing of the man he used to be. If he were stronger, Magneto would not doubt that he would cross that line. Yet, he was weak.

Training with Emma will not be enough also. An excellent fighter she was, yet, her anger will keep her from training her fully. Not to say that Emma will turn Rogue into a liability. A great fighter she will be but not as great as Emma. The girl had potential to be the best. She had guts, remembering Christmas Eve. With proper training, she could rival Emma in usefulness.

Whom could he trust with this task? Sabretooth did have the skills yet none of the restrain. He could not be certain the girl would live through one of his training sessions. Colossus relied too much on his mutation; he was decent on his best day. Pyro... Well, he did not think the fire starter knew how to do anything but manipulate fire. This left Pietro and Gambit. One would not be able to tell but Pietro was an excellent fighter. Yet, he, like Colossus, he relied too much on his power. Knowing that he could always defeat an opponent in combat, with or without form, diminished all of his training. The obvious choice would be Gambit. No one could fight _with _his or her powers more efficiently than the thief could.

He hesitated. Gambit was the natural choice but the truth was that Magneto did not trust him. True, the thief saved his hide many times before in battle and he did trust the thief to watch his back. Yet, that was battle. When not in battle, he distrusted the thief immensely. It had nothing to do with his occupation; he was a terrorist, who was he to judge others? Lack of respect as well as his inability to control him was the major factors of his lack of trust.

Ordering Gambit to keep his advances to himself would only fuel his desire to taste the girl yet, not setting boundaries or rules would be dangerous as well. Rogue was an elusive prey, one that has never been touched by a man. It was a kind of challenge that Remy loved. She was something pure and unattainable, a combo that the thief could not resist. No doubt that the girl would not stand for it but how strong could she remain against him? He doubted for very long.

Then again, there was Pietro. Perhaps if given the task of training the girl, he would also recover some his lost skill. Maybe if assigned _both_ of them to that task. Through his observations, he noticed a tension between his son and Gambit. Everything was a contest between those two and both hated losing, especially to one another. It would make sense. Gambit will teach the girl and Pietro will regain some skill and perhaps keep Gambit away from her.

With his thoughts quelled, fatigue caught up to him. He stumbled to bed and crashed into the soft mattress. Within moments, he was asleep.

XXXXX

Erik awoke, feeling refreshed as if all those years of insomnia never happened. Glancing at the clock, he did a double take as it read one in the afternoon. When the hand moved, he leapt out of bed. Within minutes, he was presentable and he exited his room.

The lair was silent as it should be; despite being mostly metal, he had installed soundproof rooms after several of Remy's guests had vocalized her pleasure all night long. He winded down the hall and ended up at the door of the training room. The door opened and a flood of grunts and yells hit his ears. The sight of Emma grappling with the girl was quiet erotic as Emma pinned the girl down. Their wet shirts clung tightly to their bodies, revealing every killer curve.

"Finally," Emma said, casting a look at his direction. She released the girl and rose. "Any longer and I would have sent a search party."

He eyed the girl, looking for any visible signs of their progress. "How's the training going?"

"Training? Is that what this is?" she asked wiping the sweat from her brow. "Ah thought it was just a beat-mah-ass-session," Rogue said, shooting Emma a dirty look.

It seems as if he was right about his earlier assessment. That woman was too vindictive, he thought with a slight smile. "How is the other training going?" He watched as she lifted a five-pound barbell three feet in the air. Within seconds, the weight crashed to the ground along with the girl. She panted loudly, her body slick with sweat.

"Wow. That was impressive. I believe it stayed in air for two whole seconds, a new record for you," Emma said with a clap. A deliciously evil idea formed in her head and she could not contain her obvious grin. Rogue hoisted herself from the ground making her miss the look that passed on Emma's face. Magneto, however, caught the look and decided to allow Emma to continue with her plan.

She rubbed her hands in delight when she received a nod from Magneto. "Aww, did I hurt the little baby's feewings?" Rogue shot Emma a warning look, which she ignored. "I feel sorry for you. It must be sad being so pathetic."

Magneto watched as Rogue flexed her fingers, trying to curb her anger. Emma circled around her prey, her taunting continuing. Rogue, for her part, remained oddly silent. In her head, she began counting.

One…

Magneto inched closer to the door, wanting to stay away from the crossfire when it broke out. The air was thick with tension and he could see Rogue shaking with anger. Though he did consent to whatever Emma had planned, sometimes Emma did not know when to quit and he hoped today she would learn a valuable lesson.

"No smart comeback? Is your mind too slow to think of a simple answer?"

Two…

Rogue was always quick to anger and today will be no different. She snapped and _threw_ Emma against the wall. She slammed into the concrete, hard. Rogue pressed her hand, keeping the woman pinned against the wall.

Emma grunted as the pressure kept her pressed hard among the wall. Like everything else in life, this was a lesson for both of them. The girl will learn to harness her anger into power. As for Emma, she learned that the girl was quick to anger but she will not stop pushing her buttons. Anger and power went hand-in-hand; look at the leap of power the girl displayed. Smiling, she sent out a weak psychic bolt, breaking her hold. As she slid to the ground, she flashed the fuming girl a grin.

"That will be all for today," Emma said. Rogue's anger diffused and she glanced at Emma, confused. "Learn to control that temper of yours," she tossed before leaving the room.

Perplexed, she did compute the last sentence until a few seconds after the door closed. Her temper flared again and she let a stream of profanity.

"Finished dear?" he asked after she quieted down. Rogue glared at him and waited for him to continue. "Tomorrow, you will be training with Gambit," he stated, elicited a groan from the girl.

"That wannabe Casanova? Why? Can't I just continue training with Emma?"

Only wanting to train with Emma, hmm, that was not a good sign. "It is important for you to learn a variety of fighting skills and Emma already is teaching you to control your telekinesis."

She waved a hand, halting his excuse. Her blatant disrespect was making him irate. _Perhaps Emma should have made her more agreeable; she retained too much of her previous attitude._

"I have decided that Pietro will be your trainer as well. No objections or complaining," he added the last part as the girl opened her mouth to retort.

"Fucking son of a bitch!" she shouted before he left the room.

XXXXX

Scott pressed the button and watched with haunted eyes as the status tube Jean was in, lowered. She looked serene as if she was merely sleeping. As the tube dropped lower to the ground, so did his heart.

It was a difficult decision but he, like the Professor, thought it was for the best. They had used the same tube that Xavier was trapped within several weeks before. In there, Jean would remain in suspended animation, until they could figure out what to do.

Feh. He was lost, everyone else turned to him for leadership, and he could not think of a goddamn thing to do. Rogue's violent departure had shaken him deeply. Why would she do something like that? It made things even more confusing because he knew she did not have any of her memories. What reason would she have to attack Jean? None was the answer.

The rest of the team argued that it was Rogue-like behavior, attacking Jean that is. They didn't carry the burden of the knowledge he had. How could he tell them what he knew? It would make understanding this tragedy even harder. This was another secret that he could not tell anyone else. He was the team leader and this will be his burden to carry.

The Professor was conveniently absent since this fiasco began. He had an "important matter that could not be ignored" to attend to. Scott didn't stop him as he left, his anger preventing him from doing anything but scowling. Later, he thoroughly trashed his room, cursing the Professor's name. For his cowardice, the lies he told them all, for killing Jean. Yet, she wasn't dead. Beast had explained that she was in a coma but from his tone, he knew there was more to it. After much pleading, he finally got Beast to talk. "She has no brain activity, Scott. She in such a deep coma that I do not know if she will ever wake from this," he said, watching his face. Numbness coursed through his body as Hank's words repeated over in his head. "Perhaps, it would be best if we…"

Scott pinned Hank against the wall, fury boiling his blood. "Don't you even dare suggest that! She is not dead so don't even suggest -think- about that!"

Hank held up his large hands, trying to placate the raging man. "I had to ask Scott, standard procedure. I do not enjoy this anymore than you do, my friend."

He released the furry man and ran both hands through his hair. "I don't know what to do! I'm so confused and lost. And now this." Hank placed a hand on his shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. Scott looked at the man, looking haggard. "What should I do?"

There, Hank suggested the prison that Xavier had been trapped in. Time's effect would never touch whoever was in there, a temporary solution for Jean. She would remain untouched, until he -they- can save her.

"Ready Scott?" Kitty asked. He forgot that he wasn't alone. Kitty looked forlorn and he knew the guilt was eating her up too. Like himself, she wondered if there wasn't another way to solve the problem with Rogue. And the million-dollar question was if there were another solution, would this still have happened. That question burned into his head, making him feel queasy.

"Ever wonder what might have been?" he asked. She shot him a look, answering his question. "Yeah, stupid question. I bet you can't think about anything else. I know it's what I think about all the time."

"I think the worst part is that we all knew there was another answer yet, we let our anger control us without even thinking and the Professor yielded to our decision."

Scott reeled back, surprised. "I didn't know about that."

Kitty flashed a sheepish smile before it quickly melted away. "I overheard him talking with Ororo. He wanted to believe that he could save Rogue but he wanted to protect us from her."

"Probably wanted to keep her safe from us as well," he added, remembering the team meeting the night before the incident.

"Where do you think she is?" she asked. Scott often thought of where she could be. "Do you think she'll ever come back?" she asked; hope shining brightly in her eyes.

Scott sighed, suddenly fatigued. "Would you want to come back Kitty?"

Her face fell, mimicking his feelings. He doubted Rogue would come back, ever. Meaning, Jean is stuck forever in her prison.

He contemplated on leaving the team. The Professor betrayed him. How could he follow under someone who was a hypocrite? It was hard enough looking at him after without trying to shake him senseless. Jean was the factor keeping him on the team. He couldn't keep his promise to her if he was out on his own.

"I want to find her," Kitty said suddenly. He gazed at the girl, not surprised. "I want to explain and say sorry," she added. A sob escaped her lips and she fell down, a heap of tears. Scott walked over to her, 'I'm sorry' repeatedly coming from her lips.

He lifted the girl into his arms and held her tightly. "I do too Kitty. I promise we will find her one day and we will both apologize to her."

XXXXXXXXXX

Phew! I didn't think that would ever get done! Another chapter done and I already started the next one.

Next chapter: Rogue gains more control over her telekinesis and trains with Gambit and Pietro. Irene visits Rogue and shares something with her.

5/19/2009: Just fixing something that I just noticed the other night. Had to explain how Rogue retained Jean's telekinesis but not her telepathy.

therapist


	8. Possibilities

DISCLAIMER: I do not own X-Men Evolution nor do I make any money from this. So, do not sue please!

AN: Sorry about the long wait between chapters!

**SEX! SEX! SEX! SEX! SEX!**

Now that I have your attention… Okay, before people bombard me with reviews calling me a pervert or hentai, everyone involved in sexual situations are of legal age. Yes, there is some naughtiness (*cough* sexual situations *cough*) in this chapter so if that offends you please stop reading. (Don't know why you'd be in the M rating area anyways.) And no flames about it please, you've been warned!

XXXXXXXXXX

**Black Coffee**

_**Possibilities**_

**By therapist**

The morning passed by without any incident. However, I admit that the boys were acting stranger than usual. They pelted me with stares and when I caught them, they quickly looked away. I gazed in the mirror, looking for a pimple, nope. My fingers traced my zipper and found it up. I didn't know what was wrong with them and I chose to ignore the lot for now.

Checking my watch, I realized I had a training session with Emma within a few minutes. A groan escaped my lips as I thought of all the torture or as she called it, training, I would have to endure. I wracked my memory, trying to look for the source of her hate toward me. Besides that incident where I walked in on her with Remy, I couldn't figure out her animosity toward me.

I arrived early, hoping to meditate before the grueling session. I could feel my energy, though nervous, bubbling in my chest. With a few deep breaths, I felt my body relaxing. My ears picked up footsteps and a door opening. Peeling open my eyes, I turned to the doorway. Remy stood perched on the doorway, watching me. My eyes roamed over his Lycra suit, noting how it defined every dip- no, his nice sculpted muscles will not distract me. _Was he flexing? _Indeed, he was, realizing that he caught me staring.

I scrambled to my feet, trying to fight the blush that I knew was evident. His eyes roved over my body deliberately pausing at my chest. He grinned as I crossed my arms over my chest.

"Whaddya want LeBeau? Ah have a training session with Emma soon."

He chuckled, removing his trench coat. My eyes appreciatively resumed ogling him. I forced myself to bring my gaze up to his face, which was smirking at me. "Like wha' y' see?"

My face burned again. "Ya wish LeBeau and stop dodging. Why are ya here?"

He sighed dramatically. "Seems like yo' fighting skills are a bit rusty so Magneto asked Remy t' teach you de basics again."

His tone irritated me and I fixed him with a glare. "Ah don't need your help."

"Really? Care t' prove it petite?"

Despite my head yelling "no", "You're on!" escaped my lips. He flashed me a grin, one that read 'you're so screwed now'.

"Want t' make it a bit more interesting?"

"Sure." I wanted to glue my mouth shut.

He tapped his chin in thought. "Ah, Remy knows how t' make dis more interesting. A date perhaps?"

"Ya want a piece of fruit if ya win?" I couldn't help it; my mouth has a mind of its own.

He chuckled. "Non, Remy wants you." He pinned a heated look at me, stopping my retort. The way his voice dropped, all husky, sent shivers through my body. He stalked toward me, crossing the space within two strides.

I backed up, stopping as my back hit the wall. Crossed between fleeing and wondering how far this would go, my body won out and I allowed Remy to trap me. He placed both arms to each side, his face hovering dangerously close to mines. Warning bells sounded off in my head yet, my voice wouldn't work.

"Remy wants you," he repeated. He dipped his head, placing a ghost of a kiss on my lips. Remy's errant thoughts flitted into my mind. I blushed as his not-so-innocent thoughts of me played in my mind. Yet, they did a number on my body. I could feel myself growing hot, especially below my waist. A moan escaped my lips. I cursed my betraying body.

He chuckled, his chest bumping into mines. _When did he come so close?_ He was too close but like before my lips wouldn't protest it. He leaned in again and I couldn't help but tilt my head toward him. His lips missed mines, heading toward my ear.

"Remy likes de way you taste," he whispered, tickling my ear. "Wonder if de rest of you taste de same."

With his thoughts racing through my mind and his words conjuring all kinds of ideas, I did what any woman in the situation does, I moaned.

Needing no more encouragement, his hands began exploring my body. I held onto his bicep, my knees feeling weak. As a hand touched the underside of my breast, my knees gave out. I cried in surprise and he as well, as we tumbled onto the mat. The fall rattled my nerves, breaking my lust-induced haze. As I untangled myself from his limbs, I could feel my body cooling off.

Finally separating, he threw a grin at me. "Remy knew dat he was good, but he never had a woman fall to dere knees before de sex started."

I looked at him, horrified at the way I responded. I acted like a…woman of loose morals! I scrambled to my feet and placed a good distance between us. I didn't know what to say. _Um, thanks for the fun time but now I'm too embarrassed to do anything? It's not you; it's me? Your hands are good but I think it's time to get back to work?_ They all sounded horrible, so I kept silent.

As if sensing my mood, he allowed me my space. "Well?"

"Well what?" I snapped back. I winced as he raised an eyebrow at me.

"Is de bet still on?"

I groaned. _How could he think about that when I'm feeling like this? _"Ah guess. What do Ah get if Ah win?"

He gazed up in surprise. "Remy didn't t'ink of dat one. Well, in de case if y' do win, t'ough it is highly unlikely, Remy will not bother y' during training anymore."

Not really hearing his words, I nodded my head. He held out his hand and I shook it. Before releasing my hand, he brought it briefly to his lips. I blushed.

"Remy hopes dat he wins," he murmured. He dropped my hand and crossed to the other side of the room. I snapped out of my reverie as he began to stretch. He touched his toes, giving me an eyeful of his backside, his muscled delicious backside.

Feeling drool collect, I turned away from him and began my own stretching. I threw myself into the stretches, mostly to keep myself occupied and not to stare at Remy's butt. _I wonder what kind of workouts he does to get it into that shape? Maybe he could show me one day…_

"Jesus!" I cried, earning a strange look from Remy. _It was starting already_. "Let's get started." I announced, not wanting my traitorous mind to continue down that slippery slope.

Remy stood up and stretched rather languidly. My eyes traced his pectoral muscles, down to his abs and to his 'fuck lines'. _I wonder what he looks like naked…_ I blushed as visions of Remy naked danced in my head. Shaking my head and those images, I assumed a battle stance.

He jumped up and down, shaking out his arm muscles. Without warning, he lunged. I threw up my arm, blocking his punch. He grinned at me, making my stomach flutter. The red of his eyes glowed causing my heart to beat rapidly in my chest.

"Oof!" The mat hit my butt. Remy stood over me, a triumphant smile playing on his lips. Bastard. I kicked my legs, grinning as they collided with Remy's, sending him to the mat too.

"Remy still wins."

"Whaddya do to meh?" The flutter of my heart finally slowed down but I could still feel the aftereffects on my body. "Ya did do somethang right?"

"De first lesson of battle is to expect de unexpected. Remy jus' teaching y' a lesson."

"Meaning that ya cheated," I shot back.

"If you say so, but Remy still won de date." I could hear his smile and I could feel my own smile growing on my face.

XXXXX

_Raven, is this what you wanted?_ Irene wondered again if she was doing the right thing. Without Raven next to her, she would admit that she was lost.

She knew what Rogue done to her lover. Raven knew what she was going to do too. Yet, Raven didn't waver from her course, continuing to befriend Rogue even if it led to her demise. She had argued with Raven, pleaded for her to stop. The woman was stubborn and nothing she said could sway her.

Irene knew that Raven had done the right thing. If she hadn't done all of that, Rogue would have died. However, that knowledge didn't ease the pain of losing Raven. They might of saved their daughter but at what cost? Raven was dead and Rogue lost all of her memories. All their work was for naught.

Raven assured her that after Apocalypse release that everything would be right. She was glad that Raven wasn't alive to see how wrong she was. Irene had nothing left. Her daughter didn't know that she existed and now in the hands of someone who didn't give a damn about her.

Her last vision, the one of Rogue and the mansion, scared her. She watched in horror as Rogue attacked her teammates, her friends. A knife stabbed into her heart as Xavier pulled out Cerebro. She knew what was going to happen. She didn't need her visions to tell her what was about to pass. As Rogue cried and fell to her knees, the vision faded. Panicked, she tried in vain to see what happened to Rogue. All she received for her effort was haze.

She panicked and her mind went back to what Raven told her.

_Raven whispered the numbers in her ear. Irene looked at her, her eyebrows drawn together in confusion._

"_Repeat the numbers love."_

_Irene repeated the numbers back. Raven hand intertwined with hers, giving it a light squeeze. She then realized that it was a phone number._

"_I must stress that those numbers that you've just repeated are to be dialed only in the direst of situations."_

_Her tone scared her and she held onto her hand tighter. "Raven…"_

"_Know that soon all that we've been working for will be complete. I believe in you and your visions…meaning that I will be gone."_

_Her chest tightened. Raven never admitted that before, saying that her visions were nothing more than 'coincidences'. They haven't talked about her last vision, the one of Raven's death. "That will not come true."_

_Raven sighed. "That number is Erik's line. If you need help and you have no other options, call that number."_

"_But I thought-"_

"_We are enemies, make no mistake of that. But, I know that if we asked for his help, he will not turn away." _

_Irene nodded, resigned. She could never say no to Raven or get her to change her mind._

"_He will do it but for a price."_

Not knowing what happened to Rogue and with no way to find out, without thinking, she dialed the number. She didn't know what to say. How does one address an enemy, seeking help from said enemy?

When he answered, she almost hung up. The image of Rogue stayed her hand. She opened her mouth and the words poured out. As she explained on the phone, she could hear the wheels in his head turn. He remained silent long after she finished and she wondered if he'd hung up. Soon after, he spoke. As he explained his terms, her heart dropped. If he asked for money, her services, she would have been fine with it. Yet, he was asking her to give up her daughter.

"We can let her die," he said, sensing her hesitation through the phone.

That did it for her. "Fine," she whispered.

Now here she was, wondering again why she agreed. Soft footsteps interrupted her thoughts. From her footfalls, she knew it was Rogue.

"Rogue," she voiced.

The footsteps stopped. "Irene?"

Not wanting the girl to flee, she launched into rehearsed speech. "I need to speak to you about Magneto. Before you say anything, please allow me to say my peace." The girl remained silent and she continued. "He is not who he says he is. He is lying to you and using you. I am partly to blame for that, for allowing that monster to use you."

"What are ya talking about?"

"Do not believe all that you know. They are lies Rogue, meant to sway and control you."

Wood scraped against the floor as, she assumed, Rogue took a seat. "Listen, Irene. You're not making any sense. What do ya mean?"

"My child. They lie to you. Erik didn't save you from the orphanage when you were a child nor did your mother beat you."

The chair scraped and she could hear Rogue's breath coming in short gasps. "How did ya know about that?"

Irene struggled with the words. This wasn't going as she planned and she felt Rogue beginning to panic. She stretched out her hand in Rogue's general area, hoping to placate the woman. "It matters not. Only know that they're lies."

"Ah think it fucking matters." Her voice was sharp; this was not good. "Ya tell me that all mah memories are lies? They are not! They happened, Ah know they did."

"Memories can be changed or lost."

Rogue seemed to grasp the meaning of her words for her breathing changed. "They couldn't do that."

"They did dear." A door slammed and Irene cursed. "I can't explain all to you tonight. I will explain all next week."

"Why so long?" she cried. Irene could hear footsteps approaching closer.

"I will be gone and as soon as I come back, I will seek you Rogue." With that, she shuffled out of the kitchen, passing the intruder. Fur tickled her shin and she could feel her heart race. _Sabretooth. I hope his hearing isn't as good as they said it was_.

XXXXX

"Why are we here?" Rogue asked Pietro, spooning the last drop of ice cream into her mouth.

"Well I figured you wanted a break from everything." It was partly true. The woman seemed stressed when they started training. "When I almost took off your head when I punched you, I decided that a break would be nice."

Rogue rubbed her jaw. The swelling went down and he could see the discoloration starting. "Thank ya…Ah guess." Silence lapsed between them. "Why are ya being so nice to meh? You've never liked meh Pietro; ya made no secret about it," she blurted.

Pietro inwardly cursed. _Fucking Emma and her stupid memories_. When Emma informed them of what she did to Rogue, she gave vague descriptions of the memories. She mentioned nothing of his supposed dislike of her. Thinking fast, he came up with what he hoped was a plausible lie. "Well I know I've never been nice to you but I was hoping we could make a fresh start, since we are working on the same team."

She looked at him hard and as time ticked on by, he could feel the sweat starting to gather on his forehead. "Okay."

"Okay? That's it?" He was expecting her to think about it and then demand some ridiculous compensation for all of her suffering. He was surprised that she didn't put up a fight.

"Rogue!" a girl cried. They turned away from each other and looked back. Pietro cursed as he saw Kitty running toward them. Rogue stood and he had a crazy thought Rogue was going to embrace the girl. Instead, she dropped her cup and fixed into a battle stance. Kitty slowed down as she looked at her former friend. "Rogue?"

"What do you want Pryde?" she spat. Kitty gasped at the harsh tone. Now a few feet away from her, she could see the hate behind her eyes. Her eyes settled onto Pietro and he watched as it widened dramatically.

"Rogue," she started slowly. "Where have you been?"

"What are you talking about? Don't pretend as if we've ever been friends Kitty. Now what do you want? Where are the rest of the X-Geeks?"

Pietro noticed that they were being watched and he made his way over to Rogue, grabbing her elbow.

"Let her go Maximoff!"

_Shit!_

Scott pushed through the crowd and pulled up next to Kitty. His hand went up to his glasses.

The day was tumbling downhill and he knew this was going to end badly. Not only did he disobey his father and brought Rogue outside but now the X-Men knew who had her. He was in for it now.

"I should have known that it was Magneto behind the kidnapping."

Rogue tossed a confused look to Scott then to Pietro. He caught her looking and tried to erase the panicked look on his face.

"Look, were not looking for trouble Summers. Just enjoying ice cream and that's all," he said. He gazed around quickly, noticing that the crowd was backing away from them, sensing the danger ready to boil over.

"Rogue, where have you been?" Scott asked.

"What the hell is wrong with guys? We've been enemies for years, so stop pretending that we were friends and all."

Pietro decided that this needed to stop now and he slugged Scott, hard. His face whipped hard, knocking his glasses askew. He pushed Rogue to the ground as Scott's beam cut through the air. Glass shattered and debris fell on top of them. He pulled the woman to her feet right as Kitty was handing Scott back his glasses.

_Crap_.

He dashed to his left, in time to avoid a beam. Rogue thrust out her hands, sending Scott flying. He knocked into the wall, slumping unconscious.

"Rogue, stop it!" Kitty yelled. Rogue ignored the woman, sending her flying as well.

Pietro grabbed Rogue and hauled her into his arms. He zipped off, only stopping when he felt he was at a safe enough distance. He set her onto her feet then dropped to his knees, panting. He never carried for such a long distance before and his body burned as a result.

"What was their problem?" she panted. Drained indeed she was. Tossing those two people took a great amount of energy and her body shook with weakness.

Not knowing what to say, he shrugged.

"Had a fun time?"

Pietro's heart jumped. He recognized the voice and groaned. He looked up at Sabretooth, who grinned at the pair.

"Jesus Christ Victor. You scared the shit out of me." When he saw Sabretooth at the mall, he knew the man would follow them. He didn't know exactly why he was there at the mall but he could think of several reasons, all involving his father.

Victor's sight switched from him to Rogue. He could see a shift in behavior, while he was teasing before now he was hunting.

Rogue straightened up and eyed him warily. "Hello Victor."

He heard a slight quiver in her voice and Victor's smile told him he did too. He could understand her feelings. Victor was gazing upon her like a piece of meat, his smile revealing a sharp fang. "Hello Rogue," he purred.

Rogue shivered and gave Pietro a pleading look. Pietro stepped into Sabretooth's line of sight, blocking him from the woman. "What do you want Victor?"

Victor gazed at him, amusement dancing in his eyes. "Nothing, just saying hello."

"You've said hello so beat it."

Victor leaned to the left, catching Rogue's eyes. "I had a nice chat with Irene last night…" he let the words hang. Her eyes widened. "She told me some very interesting things."

Pietro glanced at Rogue, her face one of shock.

_Seems like our seer has been doing nightly visits, even when father forbidden it. _He told his father that keeping Irene would be bad for them. His father silenced him and kept his mouth shut. _Perhaps this would teach him a lesson_.

If Victor didn't tell his father then he would not as well. His father was a great leader, just like Napoleon and just like him, he too will fall. The man was too stubborn and arrogant. Pietro had ideas, well thought out ideas but his father didn't want to hear such 'rubbish'.

"Would you like to hear what we talked about pet?" Victor asked, bringing his attention back to the pair. Rogue had stepped away from Pietro and gazed upon the furry man with distrust. "Perhaps we can set up a meeting, just you and me."

Thinking of Rogue alone with that beast boiled his blood. "Like hell she's gonna to spend time with you!" he shouted, surprising everyone, even himself.

Rogue shot him a small thankful smile before turning back to Victor. "Fahn, just tell meh when."

XXXXX

Scott and Kitty limped up the last bit of stairs. The door opened before anyone could open it. Logan glared at the pair, his arms crossing menacingly in front of his broad chest. "Have fun at the mall?"

Scott groaned in response, shouldering past the man and into the living room. The Professor was there, next to Ororo. He looked angry but Scott didn't give a shit anymore. He walked past them, his eyes focused on the floor.

"Scott?"

He was at the base of the stairs and he stopped mid-step. He faced his mentor, not bothering to hide his annoyance.

"What happened today?" Xavier asked. Logan pointed to the sofa, Kitty already seated there. He sighed and limped back to the sofa. Flopping down, he didn't immediately answer, thinking about what he was going to say.

Kitty beat him to the punch. "She's with them."

The atmosphere changed instantly, everyone alert and tense.

"Rogue?" Ororo asked.

Kitty didn't respond, the look on her face said everything. The group remained silent, each digesting the new information.

"How did she look?" Logan asked. Scott gazed at the man, his face stony yet his eyes looked almost wet. "Was she okay?"

"She's fine Logan. Walking and talking with Pietro like everything's normal," Scott explained. He shot a look to the Professor. "Then when Kitty called her and asked her where she was, she looked at us like we were crazy."

The relieved look on the Professor's face made him sick. He turned away from him, biting his cheek to stop him from lashing out at the man.

"What did she say exactly Kitty?"

Scott almost laughed at that. The fact that the Professor asked Kitty wasn't lost upon him. Before she could answer, he interrupted, "She said that we've been enemies for years and to stop pretending like were friends. Now why would she say something like that?" he added the last part to spite Xavier.

The look Xavier sent him could have peeled paint but he returned it with a fierce look of his own.

"I don't understand," Logan said. Scott looked at the older man; he did indeed look confused. Ororo shifted gathering Scott's attention. Her usual calmness gone, she looked panicked and ill. Good, let them stew in their misery.

His fatigue, pain of losing Jean and his anger crashed over him. "Rogue doesn't remember us because Xavier wiped her memories clean."

Kitty gasped and swung her head to look at the Professor.

Logan's face grew dark. "Chuck, tell me you didn' do it." Xavier remained silent, his furious face locked with Scott's. "Whyja do it Chuck?"

The pain his Logan's voice broke through Xavier's stony face. He sagged into his chair, his face haggard. His head dropped into the cradle on his hands and for the first time in his life, Scott heard the great Professor Charles Xavier weep.

XXXXXXXXXX

AN: I just read the 'rules' of again and while I was gone they implemented the rule of no responding to reviews. When I first wrote, all those years ago, we could do it and I liked it. It allowed us to thank the reviewers and answer their questions. Since I don't want to be on their shit list, I have no choice but to obey their commands. Don't worry; I will still thank everyone that writes but just not individually. However, if you do have a question, I will still answer it.

AN²: I figure I add a little spice in Rogue's life. I don't know for sure if she's going to end up with him or anybody for that matter.

- 'fuck lines' are the lines that are on the waist (think Brad Pitt in 'Fight Club') below the abs, if you're wondering.

Thank you


	9. The Veil Begins to Unravel

DISCLAIMER: I do not own X-Men Evolution nor do I make any money from this. So, do not sue please!

Sorry about the long wait. It's been almost 2 years since I've wrote and I do miss it. I'm still working and going to school along with a fiancé and house to take care of, life doesn't leave me much time to write. However, I felt like something was missing from my life and I think I found it. Hopefully, I wont lose it again. Thanks for reading. Oh, there is a **sexual reference** in this chappie so…you've been warned! Oh yeah, this is definitely one of the longest chapters I've written, so enjoy!

XXXXXXXXXX

**Black Coffee**

_The Veil Begins to Unravel_

By Therapist

Victor sniffed the air. Various scents invaded his nose but one particular smell overpowered the rest. She smelled…clean, virginal and not like Emma who liked to bathe in that scented crap and yet he could still smell her…filthiness. The Beast liked her purity. Feeling his cock twitch, he took another deep breath. This time, he could smell her fear. Fear had a quite particular smell, differing from person to person. Yet, it was the most intoxicating thing he ever smelt. Shuddering, he fought the urge to keep his Beast at bay. It wanted blood, her blood and he was half tempted to let him out to play with the girl.

"Hello pet," he purred. A small gasp emitted and Rogue stepped from behind the tree. Dressed in a white dress, she certainly looked virginal.

"You said you knew things about me," she stated without a quiver. Ignoring her statement, he prowled to her. She stood her ground, yet the air spiked with the smell of her fear. Sauntering up to her, he stopped inches away. For her part, she stayed her ground, which impressed him.

"Hmm…yes, I did say that," he murmured. A few stray locks escaped from her ponytail and he swept them aside, letting his finger grace over her skin for a ghost of a second. Immediately he felt his life flow from his finger and into her. A shudder passed through her body as his thoughts, life and energy flowed into her. His energy was wild, barely contained and his thoughts, vicious. This was a game to him and he never had someone to play with, besides Logan, whom can keep up.

Knowing to get something, she would have to give something up; she trailed her finger over his furry bicep. Catching the hint, he let her continue to borrow his energy. Most of his thoughts were about her and the hunt, blood, death, Logan. Prickling enveloped her as fur began to emerge all over her body, her nails and teeth elongated and sharpened. Suddenly smells and sights became clear, she could _see_ for the first time. The forest invaded her nose; sounds that were otherwise mute filled her ears. She hated to admit it but she rather _enjoyed_ this. Not the horrid invading thoughts but the power was making her high.

Victor took a deep breath. Her fear was gone; in its stead, he smelt excitement and…her arousal. "You enjoy this pet?"

Nothing was said except for a small growl. Deny it she couldn't, she did enjoy this.

He chuckled at her response. "It's only natural pet. The beast in you enjoys the power."

"You're right Victor. I do enjoy this." A shift from prey to hunter began. She inhaled, smelling him, cataloguing and remembering his scent. "Let the hunt begin."

Releasing his hand, she took off toward the forest. A howl was heard in the distance, marking the start of the festivities. Twigs and branches whipped at her yet she felt none of it. Blood oozed to only be stopped within seconds. Her ears heard everything and she could hear him right behind her.

To the left, she saw a small path. Changing directions, she headed for the new path. Blood rushed through her, the adrenaline making her high. Despite 10 minutes of hard sprinting, she didn't feel winded at all. A sense prickled and she dove to the left. Whooshing filled the air and the trees to the right bore the brunt of the attack. Splinters of wood showered her face as the tree exploded. Sensing that she couldn't outrun him, she launched her attack.

Sifting through his memories, she studied his attacks and strategy. While Victor was strong, she was probably faster than he was. Another duck and the trees to her left splintered under his ferocious swipe of his claw. Internally, she chuckled. He had no style, no finesse. He was all power.

After dodging another attack that failed to come close to her, she launched her counter attack. A swift kick to his head after a swipe and his roar of anger followed. She allowed a small chuckle. "What's wrong bub?"

This made them both pause. Her, because she had never called anyone that; him, because of its eerily similarity to a certain hated person.

"Hmm…it seems like they haven't done such a great job after all," he said, which she couldn't make any sense of. Another swipe of his claws, this time it nicked her arm. She grunted in pain as blood spurted from the wound. Quickly, she leapt away, giving her some space and time for her wound to heal. Victor continued his assault, slashing at her with his claws. She did nothing but dodge those attacks, looking for the moment to strike.

"You gonna fight back pet? Or are you gonna dodge all night?" Victor taunted, hoping she would rise to the bait.

A growl escaped her lips and she launched into the offensive. Her left hand swiped at him, which he dodged easily by jumping to the air. Victor looked down at her and didn't like the grin she was wearing. Bending at the knees, she launched herself into the air, stopping but a few feet above him. He turned to block a blow he heard coming, yet the bright light of the sun blinded his sensitive eyes. Upon reflex, his hands dropped from defending the attack to block out the harsh rays of the sun.

Seeing her plan working, she began to rotate her body as she reached the peak of her jump. As her body began to plummet to the earth, she concentrated within herself. Drawing into her mind, she searched for that source of power, one that gave her telekinesis. Coming upon to, it felt warm and familiar yet…unfamiliar. She couldn't explain it, it was just how it felt. She reached out to it and it flared in response. Yes, she could feel it bestow its power to her. The sensation of falling drew her out of her mind. Calling upon the powers, it surrounded her body. Emma mentioned to her before that her powers could be used to propel herself and eventual she could fly. Today, she would see Emma's suggestion would apply. About half way of a full rotation, she whipped herself for the entire turn. The wind cut at her and she felt the resistance as she went to slow to supersonic in less than a second. Her left leg caught Victor's stomach; the gravity plus the added bonus of her telekinesis transformed it from a simple kick into a one more powerful than an expert martial artist.

A grunt escaped his lips and for a brief second he wondered if she smacked him with a log. Next the wind flapped violently around him as he drove toward the earth. The ground impacted his lower back, then the rest of his body. Cracks could be heard as every bone broke and the ground shook from the force of his fall. Pain wracked his body, though he has experienced worse and all his wounds would heal eventually, the pain never felt any less intense.

Rogue watched as Victor impacted the ground, sending a dust cloud up and vibrations out. Though her technique had worked, she hadn't thought of the repercussion of such an action. Her body wasn't trained to work at high speed and she had broken her left tibia with the kick; the sickening crack had alerted her for she didn't feel the pain of the break. Such use of power was well beyond what she used to and though she remained aloft long enough to see Victor hit the ground, she had use up her entirety of power.

A startled yelp escaped her lips as she felt the last of her power dissipate and she fell to the earth. Though they were quite high up, the ground was quickly approaching her and she righted herself to where her feet faced the ground below her. She would have only a few more seconds before impact and she could feel her leg begin to heal. _I hope it'll be strong enough for the impact_. She focused on her breathing and relaxing; making sure her muscles didn't tense up. Her body shook as the balls of the feet first touched the ground, her knees bending with impact. Before the rest of her body could follow suit, she propelled herself diagonally, diving headfirst and curling herself into a ball. Blood bumped through her as she internally celebrated the successful landing and subsequent tuck and roll. Something solid impacted her body and she felt herself uncurling despite her best efforts. _I'm too tired…_ As she tumbled those last few feet, she could make out the boulder she had a collision course with. Though she heard the crunch of her head impacting it, she felt nothing as the boulder stopped her. With a colossal effort, she rolled onto her back. Pain, she didn't feel but the exhaustion was another thing. The edges of her vision was darkening despite the high position of the sun and try as she could, she couldn't fight the darkness.

XXXXX

_He could smell the runts in the clearing and this horrible sound was coming out of the boom box, it was horrid and unbearable. He pushed through the bush, making sure to smash that music box and grabbed Spyke. "You're mine!"_

_Spyke let out a few surprised sounds as he was lifted above his head. "We've been expecting you," he yells down at him. Something sharp pierced his hands and though he wanted to drop the boy, he didn't. "You gotta be sharp if you're gonna mess with the Spyke!"_

_If it were any other time, he would've' rolled his eyes. Instead, he tossed him at the pale girl. They collided, leaving just one left. His eyes shifted to the petite girl. "Then I'll take you!" he growled, charging for her. Surprised he was when he sailed through her. _

"_Right. I'm so sure!" she taunted. He heard her gasp and he saw that her eyes were off him. Never take your eyes off the enemy pet. With a swipe of his claws he tossed her to a tree, knocking her down and unconscious. Nothing excited him more than when his prey was at their most vulnerable._

"_Back off ugly!" He turned and saw the Goth girl. The Beast came alive as he inhaled her scent. The pureness, innocence was something that got to him every time. A deep purr rumbled in his chest and he let the Beast take over. _

_Grabbing her arms, he lifted her. As she squirmed in his hold, he could feel himself getting excited. He was going to tear her apart, in more ways than one._

__XXXXX

_The cold air bit into her skin and an involuntary shiver ran through her body. The door to the jet was still open, giving her a perfect view of the collapsed bridge she had been on less than a minute ago. it still felt like she was outside, in that unforgiving tundra. Wolverine loomed over her, hands crossed around his massive chest._

"_Where's your allegiance kid? Us or them?" he said. He was intimidating and though she knew he didn't mean her harm, he still frightened her. _

_Looking at where the bridge used to be, she answered, "If I don't say you, will I get thrown out this jet?"_

_Despite the seriousness of the talk, she could of swore she heard him chuckle. Yet, when she looked at him, he remained as stoic as before. "Nope, not our style. We've either earned ya' trust by now or we haven't."_

_Mystique in her mind screamed at her to say no and said all the horrible things they would do to her. Instead of changing her mind, it spurred her to do the opposite. "You," she replied. _

_His stoic stance broke and he offered her a hand and a smile. "Welcome to the X-Men."_

__XXXXX

When she realized she was up, she opened one eye lazily. The sun looked a little closer to the horizon, telling her that some time passed since blacking out. As the remnants of the dreams began to fade, she could only wonder what it meant. It was a dream…yet, it felt so real, tangible, a memory almost. Sitting up, her body made no complaints and she felt no aches from her fight with Victor.

_Speaking of Victor…_ Looking over to where he was, she could see that he was gone. A sigh of relief left her. Though she had won their 'fight' and the confidence boost that comes with that was significant, she doubted she could do an encore. Bath and sleep was all she wanted right now.

Her new white cotton dress was ruined with slashes and blood all over it. She, herself, must look no better, with dirt and dried blood covering her usually pristine skin. _I doubt Remy would…Remy…Oh shit! We're supposed to have a date today!_ This propelled her to her feet and she took off running toward her home.

Victor emerged from behind a tree. The fight had sated his Beast for now and he wondered when they could play again. He had awoken a few moments before the girl and heard her and more interesting, her 'dreams'. The Beast and he liked the girl and wanted things to stay as they were. Yet, with her memories resurfacing, it might not be possible. _Perhaps it's time to talk to Magneto_.

XXXXXXXXXX

Remy admitted that patience wasn't one of his stronger suits. True when he was on a mission, he could stalk a mark for weeks without making a move. Yet, truthfully, he was very impatient. Perhaps that was probably why he was thief. A thief never really has to wait; what he wanted, he got.

Yet right now, what he wanted was his date to come home. Remy wasn't used to waiting. In fact, this was the first time ever that any has ever made him wait to start their date. Most women clamor to him and are always early for dates. Perhaps that's why he was so enamored with her. She was beautiful yet humble. Confident and shy, and most of all, resistant to his charm. Though it intrigued him, it was infuriating all the same.

Another glance at the clock revealed that it was an hour after their date was supposed to start. Pietro entered the living room, breaking him from his sulking. Pietro coughed loudly and waved away the smoke emitting from his cigarette. For that, Remy blew another in his direction.

"You're such an asshole, LeBeau," Pietro sneered. Remy flicked him the finger. Instead of attacking him like Remy thought he would, Pietro walked out. This got him curious. Usually Pietro looked for any excuse to start an argument or fight. Lifting himself from the couch, he followed him out of the living room and into the hallway, where Pietro was shuffling toward his room. There was a slight limp in his step too. That was the first time he noticed the state of his clothes. His usually impeccable appearance was disheveled, as if someone roughed him up.

"Ya following me now LeBeau?" Pietro asked when he reached the doorway of his room.

"Non, mon ami. Remy jus' wondering wha' happened t' you. Y' look like shit."

Pietro sighed and didn't answer but entered his room instead. "Look, I've had a shitty day and I don't want it to turn into a shitty night. So if you can skedaddle, I would appreciate it." Flopping onto his bed, he groaned as the Cajun failed to leave. To his horror, he stepped into his room and came closer to him.

"Wha' happened today?" Remy asked, his voice serious. Pietro sighed again.

Before he could answer, he heard Rogue calling for the Cajun. She appeared in the doorway, dirty and bloody. Definitely not how he had left her. _That fucking Victor!_

"What the fuck happened Rogue?" he shouted, zipping to her side. Long fingernails protruded from her feet and her hair grew about a foot, he noted. "I should have never left you with that psychopath!"

"Y' don' look fine ma chérie." Remy joined her by her side, a look of concern on his face. Finding no injuries, he asked her what happened.

"It's ok Speedy, Ah'm fine." She shot his a grateful smile before turning back to Remy, whom cleared his throat. "And Remy, thanks fo' tha concern. Ah got into a lil…discussion with Victor."

"Mus' of been one hell of a discussion," he said, eyeing the slashes all over her dress. A conversation with Sabretooth was needed. The thought of Rogue being toyed with that animal, it angered him so much it surprised him. Any brotherly love he might of felt for him, which was pretty much none, was gone. From now on, he would be considered an enemy, though not out loud. He watched the Godfather; he knew to keep his friend closer but enemies closer. *

Looking back at her, Regardless of the dirt smudges adorned on her face, dried blood in her rat's nest of her hair, she was a beauty. It was hard not to stare, yet sometimes he couldn't help himself.

Feeling Remy's intense stare upon her, she forced herself to look at Pietro. "We had a quid quo pro discussion." Though Sabretooth told her nothing, she was able to retrieve some information of that brief second of contact, she would have to wait till she was alone where she could shift through them in peace.

"Quid pro quo?"

"No Pietro, quid quo pro. Tit for tat. You scratch mah back, Ah scratch yours. 'cept this case was more like Ah fight you and you tell meh something." Turning back to Remy, her eyes caught his before looking away. "Ah'm gonna have to cancel the date Remy. Ah can't be seen outside like this, Ah'm sorry."

_Date?_ Pietro tried to ignore the rise in his blood pressure after hearing that but his eyes naturally narrowed at the Cajun.

"Is ok, ma chérie. Remy is willing t' wait fo' yous," he said, finishing it with a slight brush of his lips on her hand. Despite her blush, she yanked her hand out of his gloved one. "Remy likes yo' hair dis lengt'. Very sexy."

This ignited a blush from Rogue and Pietro couldn't help but roll his eyes. "Get a room," he muttered, earning a smack from her.

"Jealous Maximoff?" Remy asked, a smirk accompanying his question. "Don' worry, Remy never considered yous as competition."

The culmination of the bad day, subsequent fight and Remy's jabs just repeated in his mind. With each vision repeating in his mind, he could feel his anger rising. He felt his face flushing and his hands quake with anger. The switch from calm to furious happened so fast it made his head spin. Yet, he relished in the anger because now he had an outlet.

Remy could barely dodge the punch that came from his left. Leaping to the right, his hand quickly grabbed his cards and filled them with charged energy. Despite Pietro's attempt to dislocate his jaw, a smile broke over his face.

Two weeks passed since Apocalypse and it has been quiet. He did expect the end of the world to happen right after Apocalypse's release yet the world carried on and nothing seemed out of place. Monitors covered the globe, scanning news, radio and net for possible signs but none have shown. Training still happened everyday yet nothing compared to an all out brawl.

"Guys! Cut it out!" Rogue yelled, panicked but the quick change of events. Remy remained crouched, his eyes never leaving Pietro's form. Pietro sneered at him.

"Pietro! Ya know he's jus' goading ya! Don't let him rile ya up!" Rogue scolded. Pietro huffed before going in his room and slamming the door. Rogue turned back to Remy with a raised eyebrow and her arms crossed. She didn't look happy.

"What? Remy is jus' bored, dats all chérie. Especially since yous is cancelling de date, poor Remy don' have anyt'ing to do," he commented and he threw in a small pout too. For her part, she did drop her scowl but her posture still told him that she was pissed.

"Ah wish you'd find otha' ways ta occupy your time Remy," she countered.

"Remy would, if you'd let him take you on dat date," he flirted, throwing her a wink as well.

She didn't blush as she thought she would but rolled her eyes. He had a line for everything. "We can go tomorrow Remy. Afta Ah shave and cut mah nails."

Tossing her a nonchalant smile, he did a little happy dance internally. He didn't think that she would reschedule so quickly and he took it as a good sign and perhaps her warming up to him. "Remy be looking forward to it. It will be de bes' night of yo' life chérie."

Footfalls interrupted their conversation. They both looked down the hallway and Magneto appeared with Emma and Mastermind beside him. Remy switched from playful to cautious. He met the illusionist a handful of times, mostly when he had to 'acquire' him. He didn't trust the man; given his abilities, he doubts he would ever trust him.

"Rogue, you are needed. Please follow Emma and Jason into the training room," Magneto ordered. Rogue turned back to him and gave a brief smile before following them, which left him alone with Magneto.

Remy watched Magneto as he focused on him. His stoic eyes carried a hint on mistrust and disdain. "What were you doing with her Gambit?"

"Remy jus' talking wit' de girl. Das all. What are y' gon' do wit' de girl?" he asked.

"You are to leave her alone. I will not tolerate any sort of interfering and if I do feel you are, I will end you swiftly."

Remy waved it off. Ever since he was little, Remy had the ability to read people and that skill only grew with age and experience. Magneto was a terrorist in every sense, he has killed and will kill for what he believes is right but a cold-blooded killer he wasn't.

"Or perhaps you would like to return home?" Magneto said, slyly.

That was a low blow and Remy tried to hide his reaction. The small smile on Magneto's face told him that he wasn't successful. "Remy wants to know what y' gon' do wit' de girl."

Magneto turned away, something he was used to seeing whenever he couldn't be bothered to answer. Before completely out of his hearing range, he threw in, "We're fixing her again."

Horror filled him as he heard Magneto chuckle.

XXXXXXXXXX

* Which is actually true, though the concept does probably come from Sun Tzu, besides, I see Remy watching the Godfather rather than reading a Chinese military strategy book from the 6th Century.

- How was that? Comments, critiques and reviews would be appreciated. Thanks to everyone that reads, follows and review the story. You are the fuel that keeps this ship running!

therapist


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